THE TIES THAT BIND US
by ElfChef
Summary: This is the sequel to the Viking and the Valkyrie. Sookie is in the middle of a war...again. Only now she has to choose whether she will stand with the Fae against the wishes of her vampire husband. Trust will be broken; bonds will be tested.
1. Fucking Fairies

Okay so here I am again. This came together sooner than I thought. Thanks to consecutive snow storms and school cancellations I am able to post my first chapter. This story is the second installment of the Viking and the Valkyrie. If you haven't read it, you will get lost. There are many references as well as events that occurred in that story that are relevant in this one. For all of you who went on my first adventure with me…welcome back and saddle up it's going to be a bumpy ride.

I want to let you all know ahead of time what I'm doing differently. I will not be doing monster postings. For two reasons, first it is much harder to edit and people have said it is difficult to read and find your place if a distraction comes about etc. Secondly I am missing out on reviews. Yes I am an absolute junkie for them. Other than the ego boost I really am very interested in what the people who have read my story think. I strive to capture certain thoughts and feelings throughout the story. The reviews let me know if I succeed. I enjoy how different people interpret different events that transpire. I love the predictions the most. Mostly I feel like people are reading when I see reviews. It also attracts other people to the story.

Was that enough barefaced whoring for reviews? Or shall I continue. No matter I'll find out soon enough . How does that song go… "I aien't too proud to beg" Nope I'm not...please review

The relationship between Pam and Dermot got a lot of attention and I was so pleasantly surprised. It was something that kind of just happened. So who better to kick off the story than everybody's finely dressed vampire? I will inform you she gets us off to a steamy start.

I was curious about something if people ask questions on the review section is it best to address them here at the beginning of the new chapter update or send private messages? I wasn't sure how to properly go about that.

***I do not own these characters. They belong in full to Charlene Harris****

That's it for the preliminaries and formalities. Enjoy!

**Pam**

**Chapter One**

**Fucking Fairies**

I would just like to go on the record and say I am not a supporter of vampires in relationships. Outside of having favorite pets or casual encounters we should be detached. It was what Eric thought me. For a long time this principal was our only truth. Things change. Eric was bonded to a human woman who he loved above all else. He was even going to marry her human style. It was now true that I have lived to see everything. I have grown fond of Sookie. I respect her. She was worthy of my master; intelligent; gifted; pretty. She has defended Eric valiantly. She has saved his life more than once and mine as well. With all that in mind I still stand by a fore mentioned position. It was just so much trouble.

That was why when I met the fairy I did not see it coming. Falling for him was not even on the list of the many things I wanted to do to him. I did not know what it was about this family of fairies that affected mine so strongly. I distinctively remember Alexei going ape shit for Jason. Dermot smelled like everything good in this world. He was beautiful. His blood was sweet. I am vampire. What else was there? That was all the justification I needed to provide myself with. Next to draining him I wanted to use him. His magical abilities would give us an edge. Not to mention the fact that he was a fighter. My planning was put to good use because he proved useful on several occasions.

Anyone who would dare pity Dermot for being in the clutches of a vampire clearly didn't know him. He had his motives for coming to me. To him I was nothing but a walk on the wild side; a tempestuous exploit that no other Fae would dare to endeavor. He wanted to master death incarnate. I have to come to learn that this temerarious trait was simply a part of who he was; willful; defiant to a fault (apparently it ran in the family). I was willing to let him test his swagger against mine. Our association had much potential to be mutually beneficial. Except I miscalculated by a large margin. We both did.

Dermot's blood got my attention but it was his personality that captivated me. He was everything I was and wasn't. Some nights I wanted to kill him. Other times I wanted to bury my body under his and blot out the rest of the world. He was my greatest adversary and my biggest admirer. He accepted all that I was with a boyish smile on his face. He understood me. There were things that I never had to explain to him. His age afforded him wisdom. He was almost five hundred years my senior. I hated dumb blondes. They ruined it for us all.

In the beginning it took a lot of effort not to drain him. Eric gave me an edict to prevent this. He would not deny me a willing taste of fairy. He also did not want me to kill Sookie's uncle. It never occurred to him that it was anything more than blood until I asked him to lift the edict. I wanted to test myself when I suspected that he was getting under my skin. I was reluctant to acknowledge what I felt. It was the greatest trial of my inner fortitude but I did it. In hindsight I should not have resisted. If I killed him I would never be in danger of loving him. Worse yet would be to love him more than me, which was unacceptable. I saw what having feelings were doing to Eric. Every waking moment when he was not with Sookie he was anxious. It clouded his judgment and his ability to see the big picture was affected. That had changed since she has grown to a warrior of sorts. Their love was still doomed to end in heartache for him. She did not want to be turned and so he would still have to say good bye. I wanted to learn from my maker. Mortals were fleeting snapshots in the sidelines of the infinite existence of vampire.

Those thoughts were clouding my mind as I flew to the home of my fairy. That day would soon come. I too knew I would have to say goodbye.

"What are you doing Pam? Why are you dragging this out?" I asked myself out loud. I had no answer. No matter, the question and all other doubts subsided as I reached his home. I hung outside his open window. I pulled in deep breaths and let his scent assault me. It was over powering. I had been away for too long. To say I have missed him was an understatement. He smelled like lavender and jasmine, with a hint of sunlight, peppered with the allure of man layered with a promise of something very sugary and sweet. That description was poor but it was the best the English language could afford me. Each fairy smelled different to a vampire. It was what made them so irresistible to us. They smelled like what you craved most.

From my place outside his window I could see that Dermot was naked. The blanket only concealed the lower half of his body. The plains of his sculpted back were exposed. His long hair was strewn carelessly about his face. Even then, he was breath taking (figuratively of course). His rugged appeal wasn't diminished even in sleep. He was fucking sexy. I struggled and tried to find a way to make this all bearable. Nothing came to mind mainly because my focus was shaken. I couldn't be this close to him and not touch him. The opening of his window was made for me. It was small and any other uninvited guest would have a difficult time fitting. The thought of someone invading his home made my fangs run out. He was not one to be taken lightly.

I was in the room for one of his heart beats but I was already naked except my underwear. He liked to do the honors. I crawled into his bed silently. His back was to me. I kissed my way from his tail bone to the back of his neck. About half way up his heart rate became irregular. I knew he was awake but he didn't move. He was unhappy with me for having gone so long without a word. He wasn't that angry because I was still in his bed. Judging by the force of his erection I would say I was staying. I kissed my way to his ear and trapped his lobe between my teeth. He tried to stifle a moan and didn't fully succeed.

"Are you awake?" My fingers were running through his hair brushing it away from his face.

His back was still to me as he replied. "It depends on who's asking." I chuckled at his tone. He was attempting to sound cheeky and unaffected by my advances but his voice shook as his anger weakened and his needs took over. His body knew my own. Try as he might he would yield. It was only a matter of time.

"The woman that owns you"

He scoffed. "In that case no, now go away" He would have been more believable if he wasn't leaning into me. I threw my leg over him and reached around to drag my nails lightly down his chest. His fingers were trailing the lace hem of my very minimal panties.

"I want what is mine" I purred as I nuzzled the crook of his neck. He shivered. He rolled onto his back and lifted me by my waist to straddle him. His eyes were boring into mine. He was able to detect emotion so I smothered my sadness with the biggest mental chains I could muster. It did not work. He knew me and he knew me very well. It was completely fucked up that he knew my moods without having a blood bond. His hands left my waist to cup my face. I felt dainty when he did this; like the nineteen year old girl I hadn't been in two centuries. He was uncouth and confrontational. I was one of the most reticent creatures in existence but like this, here and now both of our façades were stripped away. He held me like I was the most precious thing in this world. I held him like I never wanted to let him go.

"What troubles you?" I shrugged and smiled. I hated not being able to fool him but I found it stimulating as well. It kept me on my toes.

"I have missed you" He grinned and pulled up to kiss me. That was all it took for me to let go of the remnants of the melancholy that lingered in my chest. His kisses left my lips and trailed my neck. It left a blazing trail around my throat and down the middle of my chest. He flipped me on my back and continued his descent along my body. He ran slightly warmer than the average human his hands were all over me. Given my petite stature in comparison to his large build I was engulfed in his warmth. No part of was left out of it. I relished the sensation of hot and cold coalescing with such passion. I wanted to drown in it.

He pulled off the only piece of clothing between my core and him. He kissed the inside of my thighs and rubbed my breasts while running his thumbs over my already hardened nipples. I arched into him. His prowess with a sword was rivaled only by his talents in bed. The only lover I had that made me feel as good was Eric. I dare say Dermot was better. Eric was the first lover I have ever had. I really had no idea what I liked at the time. Our roles had been teacher and student. While I loved the sex we had and I enjoyed it immensely those roles didn't appeal to me. My taste had also moved to women predominantly. This was different. I loved Dermot. It was strange and downright insane but it was true. Every stroke of his tongue, every kiss, every touch punctuated that somehow. It sent every nerve ending he touched ablaze. He added his finger into the equation he was working on between my legs and I was undone. I cried out and pulled at his hair as pleasure ripped through my very being.

"Better" He asked while kissing his way up my stomach. There was that boyish smirk on his face and a sparkle in his eye. I was still lost in the after math of it but I was sure I made an unintelligible noise of accent.

"Do you love me Pamela?" his voice was ragged and his gaze was now intense. His need for reassurance should have been irritating but it wasn't. It was well founded. He wasn't sure of me. With good reason I wasn't sure of me, of us. Usually I would answer with a snarky retort. Tell him something along the lines of, "You aren't unbearable" But not today, not now.

"Yes I love you" He kissed me and entered me in the same fluid movement. My juices mixed with his sweet lips tasted like nothing else. I moaned into his mouth. Intentionally he dragged his tongue under my exposed fangs to give me just the barest taste of his blood. I hissed as it swirled in my mouth. He retracted his tongue before I could latch onto it. I growled at him for the tease. He smiled against my skin. He thrust deep into me and I was powerless against him. He owed me and I could not find it in myself to be angry about that fact. I wanted him to have me the way no one else ever has, or ever will. His tempo moved from slow to even to a fever pitch. My body moved in harmony with his. He drove me to another release and cried out my name as his followed.

We lay there in content silence. His head was resting on my stomach with his arm thrown over me. His other hand was intertwined with mine.

"You should have called" He said. I didn't roll my eyes but I wanted to. Calling him was pointless. He didn't need my protection and it would have only made my absences worse on the both of us. He must have felt my incredulity. "I know you are busy with whatever" His tone said I might as well be gone so long because of an unhealthy fixation in a coloring book. He had no respect for vampire law or hierarchy. Nor should he because he is a fairy but it irritated me that he did not understand the weight of my position or the critical times ahead. I was only constructing a regime but sure, it's fine, let's make light of it.

Eric had taken our states back form Felipe. Spending time with our lovers was far down the list of priorities. No vampire in our state had anything that resembled free time as of late. If you were bored you were lucky. He had no idea the planning that I had to do to come here tonight.

"Let's talk about something else" I suggested calmly. I could feel his body tensing.

"No" His tone was terse. I sighed loudly. I was in no mood for this. Arguing with him was not an easy thing or a safe thing depending on how angry he became. It made for the crème de la crème of rough sex. So this had potential to be very delightful either way I played my hands. Except it wasn't one of our games he had been wounded by my actions. While it was unfortunate I wasn't going to apologize. It was not my intent and it was also out of my control.

"Do not start this" I warned.

"Start what?" His tone was already angry. His temper was atrocious.

I tried to make my tone placating. "Do not push me. I have gone and now I am here. There is nothing else" My trails through his hair had ceased. All the tension that he had relieved me of was seeping right back into my body.

"A phone call" He stated. His tone implied I was being rather dim-fucking smartass fairy. If ever I was going to call him before this conversation I wouldn't now. Yes, it was only because he was demanding it like it was his God given right. Which it wasn't I owed him nothing.

"You have had women to keep your mind off me I didn't see the point" I knew that for a fact while I barely had the time for anything more than synthetic blood. Taking his blood had consequences. I couldn't lie with anyone else because no one ever smelled as good. Without the lure of blood having sex with humans just wasn't worth it half the time. In fact many revolted me these days. The hour just before dawn was torture. As I waited for the sun to pull me under thoughts of him filled me. It left me aching for him and there was nothing to ease that. Here he was badgering me about a phone call that would have exhausted my already thinning attentiveness to more important matters.

"They are not you" I shrugged. He was right but it was beside the point. "Was it to punish me? Are you jealous?" He asked. I shook my head. He was miles wide off the mark. I would never punish him emotionally. From what I have read from dear Abby those kinds of wounds do not heal quickly and rarely heal well. Contrarily it pleased me that he wasn't home just brooding and pining over me. He was having a good time for the both of us. He had good taste. I had hopes of one day sharing a woman of his.

"It was to spare us both" He turned to look at me his eyes were probing. I was a vampire there was no way I would look away first.

"I can feel that you love me but you are not happy about it I think" l shook my head.

"No I am not" There was no point lying about that. Love made you weak and vulnerable. It gave someone else control over you. Who would be happy about being consumed by another person? I thought he would press the point but he didn't.

The last time I saw him was the night we fought Victor's people. We had many things to bring each other up to speed on. He told me about his plans to move into Sookie's old farm house. We talked about his job at his nephew's bar. Monogamy wasn't a concept either of us was for or against. He told me about some of the women he had been with. There was one that he was considering cursing so she would leave him alone. I laughed.

"Perhaps you could glamour her for me" He looked hopeful. It may actually be fun to watch some insignificant human torment him.

"Getting your woman to do you dirty work" I shook my head in mock disapproval. "You are on your own there my love" The truth was I would do things that would horrify even the most savage vampires at his behest.

"She is becoming an insufferable wench" His lips were shaped in an attractive pout. I ran my thumb over them.

"What's in it for me if I help?"

"The joy of knowing you did a good deed for a pretty face" Such a thing was so out of my inherent nature and personality it was derisory. I arched an eyebrow at him that said not only was I unimpressed but offended. He gave a crooked smile that I could not help but return.

"You are such a vampire" He said. Where I was practical, opportunistic and patient he was persistent and direct. He brought his head back to my stomach and began planting kisses there.

"Tell me what you want from me" his voice was throaty and I felt myself moisten.

"Take my blood" I knew I was asking for a lot more than this favor was worth. This was something I knew he was not keen on. I did not know why. It was a natural defense mechanism I thought. Fairies did not react to vampire blood the same as humans or two natured. I could never control or turn him. I just wanted to feel him even when he wasn't with me. His only answer was to kiss his way to my lips.

"As my lady wishes" A shiver ran through me and I flipped him so he was underneath me. I moved down his body. There are several reasons why oral sex from a vampire was top notch. One we did not need to breathe and had centuries of experience. Two we had no gag reflex. Before too long he moved from English and was now panting out phrases in his native tongue. Pouring from his lips it sounded like the best kind of music played just for me. It drove me wild. His head was thrown back and he was bucking his hips for me to take him deeper. I eagerly obliged him.

I mounted him and we both groaned at the feel of coming together like this once more. He sat up and we found our rhythm. His hands wound around my waist and snaked up to my hair. He gave a hard tug to hold my head back. That elicited a feral growl from me. His mouth found my breasts and he sucked and nipped greedily. I ground my hips and my eyes rolled into the back of my head at the profound emotions coursing through me. I knew he could feel it and it served to spur him on.

"I love you" His eyes had found mine. He kissed my lips lightly and moved to my neck. He kissed and then he bit. The mixture of pain and pleasure came crashing down on me. My fangs drove into him. I was no longer in danger of taking too much as to do him harm. But every time I tasted him…it was fucking spectacular. I felt him pull on my wound and I swear I have never felt anything like it. I screamed. It was too much to contain. His body shuddered and stilled inside me. His hands were fisted in my hair. His body glimmered and shone as his true form shone through.

"You are beautiful" I whispered. I clutched onto him to keep him secured here. I was beyond words at the sensation. I was feeling him so clearly. It was as though he had always been a part of me. His forehead was pressed into mine. He was breathing erratically and his glow began to dull. Though I had no need, I was breathing as well. I wanted to taste the air while being so close in his space. I wanted to smell how my blood affected his scent. In addition to all the things he smelled like before taking my blood he now smelled like chamomile. I basked in it. It was one of my favorite scents from when I was human.

He reclined into the bed and took me with him. His breaths evened out and soon became deep. I stayed in his arms as long as I could; playing with his hair; stroking the contours of his chiseled face. This was my dream world. Reality could never be escaped for too long. I had to meet my husband to be as well as Eric. Tristan could only cover for me for so long. While I got dressed my eyes were still trained on the fairy. I wanted him again so badly but I had to go also I had worn him out. I went to kiss his sleeping lips goodbye. He woke and held my face to his.

"I'm happy about it" he murmured. I was confused.

"You lost me" He smiled lazily. "I am in love with you and I am happy about it" I laughed and kissed the tip of his perfect nose.

"You are such a fairy" He did not release me as I straightened to take my leave.

"When will I see you again?"

There was no answer for that in the foreseeable future. "I will return when I can" It was the best I could do. He frowned.

"Not good enough. If you do not call or come to see me soon I will come looking for you" I rolled my eyes. It wasn't so much a threat as it was a promise. He was stubborn and bold enough that I did not doubt him.

"Sleep well my love" I brought his hand to my lips and placed a soft kiss on his palm. He let me go. Like an addict I could not help but spare him a parting glance before taking off into the night. He was already half asleep. I threw my body as fast as it would go. I was hoping the final negotiations with Isaiah did not go well. As quickly as the thought came I banished them. Our union would be what was best for me and my maker and all the vampires under our command. Telling the fairy of this was another matter entirely. As they say, "We will cross that bridge when we get to it". Dear Abby had nothing to offer in this arena. Maybe he wouldn't accept it and he would leave me. That possibility hurt. But our love story was careening towards a tragedy anyway.

Half way to the house in Shreveport I was myself again. I by passed security and slipped into the main house. Eric was on my bed when I entered my room. There was no lying about where I had been or who I had been with. "Sorry" Tristan muttered from behind me. He did not sound sorry enough in my opinion. He was supposed to be running interference. He entered the room and began rummaging through my closet. Eric was giving me a knowing smile.

"So Pam who or what were you doing approximately three hours ago?" He reclined onto the bed with his hands behind his head. He was grinning now.

I began pulling my clothes off as I prepared to shower."You felt that?" It must have really been as intense as it felt. They laughed.

"It was quite the distraction" Eric replied. I said nothing and headed for the bathroom. In truth this was payback. I saw his infatuation with Sookie coming before he did. I had tormented him mercilessly. This was worse. Neither of us ever saw me falling for anyone. The irony that it was with a fairy made it all the more outlandish and laughable. There was no way I would live this down.

Gideon walked into my room. Shit. This was perfect. "What's so funny?" He asked. I didn't turn. I was happy to be dead. I was sure it would have been impossible not to resemble a tomato otherwise.

"Pam is in love" Tristan replied. His voice was still sprinkled with amusement but he sounded pleased. That made one of us I thought bitterly.

"Tough gig, who's the unfortunate creature?" They laughed harder. I scowled but refused to give Gideon the satisfaction. I disliked him the moment I laid eyes on him.

It felt almost criminal to wash the scent of the fairy from my body. I took my time. When I had finished the only person left in my room was Eric. At least I could tell he was done laughing. He began briefing me as I got dressed. "Your lawyers have checked in. Mr. Cataliades is in route" I nodded. The major details have already been hammered out. This should be the final sit down. "Have you told him" His voice was a whisper.

"It does not matter. It is done. He will accept it or he will walk away" My voice was inflectionless. I already had my game face on so to speak. This topic would shake my focus. Eric eyed me suspiciously. "This is the best political strategy for us all" He didn't believe me. I felt him open the bond we shared to test my resolve. I forced calm into my blood to throw him off.

He was quiet as he felt my uncertainty and my fear of losing the first man I have ever loved. "Yes it is Pam but, it is not the only way" Eric walked and stood in front of me. He lifted my chin and the impassive face I wore didn't hold. "I would hate to see you unhappy. You know this" His eyes were boring into mine. I nodded. "Forever is a long time. Only do what you would be willing and able to live with" With that said he walked out. That wasn't helpful in the least. Many vampires would relish the freedom Eric gave me. I often did as well but not in this dilemma. I did not want his ambiguous guidance or warning. I wanted him to tell me what to do. Never have I been so torn.


	2. Regime

This update took a little longer than expected I was working out some kinks. I also haven't worked out an exact schedule, eventually I want to get to a point where you guys can expect me every four days or so. I read and re read the first few chapters and I feel the time seems a little confusing but different characters start telling their POV from different times. It will become clearer as they all get together.

I got some questions about Pam. We will see glimpses of her. While she will be an essential character she only has two chapters or so to herself. Sorry if that's disappointing.

Thank you to all those who have been signing up for Alerts and adding the story and Me to your favs. As always, an extra-large thanks to all of you that take the time to review. I know the story is just getting started and things are slow (it's setting up the foundation please bear with me) there isn't much to say but your comments are still encouraging.

**Eric**

**Chapter Two**

**Regimes**

These times are very critical. I was in the very early stages of my rule. Since I have become king I have seen Sookie a hand full of times but spoken with her regularly. It was all business. During the night her loneliness and longing combined with my own. It was almost painful. These circumstances were unfortunate but temporary. All I did now I did in preparation of when we married. The systems I was implementing now would leave me with more time for her. It was my only solace. I knew she was going through a lot and dealing with many changes not only in her life but in our relationship. She was becoming afraid of the decision she made. My extended absence made it worse. I hated to see her distraught especially because I could not be there but I needed her to show faith and a lot of trust. I needed time to get our affairs in order. She was strong and she knew me better than anyone who shared my blood. We have survived so much together. This was just another stage. It would pass.

The most time consuming of things at the moment were the wedding negotiations with Kentucky. Louisiana and Arkansas had to separate. It was an idea Sookie had presented Sophie-Anne with. It was a brilliant one. Oddly they would be both become stronger apart. I knew the situation in Arkansas. I had been there recently under Felipe's orders. I knew the extent of the damages. During my time there I had come up with a lot of possible solutions, not all of which I divulged to my former king. They would serve my child well. I am going to name Pam queen of Arkansas.

With all that my workload would be halved. While Pam was a master at many things I worried about her ruling her own territory. It would not go uncontested. For that reason she was going to wed Isaiah of Kentucky. It would protect her reign. She was my child and so Isaiah would be forming an inherent alliance with my state as well her own. Something he had been eager to do for a long time. He had also heard I had some friends in very high places. This made him excited as well as apprehensive. It took a lot of convincing but I told him ultimately if we wanted more territory I would have killed Felipe and kept Nevada. What we were after was strength and stability. There was always safety in numbers. In the end he agreed. Felipe had paid a hefty sum to have his life spared the night I took back theses states. Some of it would go to Pam. Isaiah had also paid an exorbitant bride prize. The added finances would get her off to a good start.

When that was settled the three of us were faced with much scrutiny. The remainders of the states in the Amun territory were becoming uneasy Alabama and Tennessee especially. They had good cause to be uneasy. Overnight I had risen from a vampire sheriff that no one thought would live out the decade to king. Russell was interested but he was safe and sound in his alliance with Bertrand. The accusations began pouring in and I was facing several suits. Some were collaborative others were individual. The biggest supporters on all claims were Alabama and Tennessee. The main point being that I had acted without a concise and approved plan. I was also being accused of violating our international protocol and inciting anarchy. The list went on and on. For which the penalties ranged from exuberant fines to being stripped of my land and title.

Most of the mentioned claims were specious at best and wouldn't stick except for two. They were correct on the first point at least to a certain degree. I was not a royal when I claimed my states. Said rules regarding territory acquisition did not apply to me. Second I had acted to save my life. We vampires had no laws higher than the defense of self. It was very well documented that Victor was gunning for my head. I faced him and defeated him. It just came with the added benefit of gaining territory. One of the many things Felipe had given me was a signed and sworn affidavit saying he willing relinquished both states to me. Yes he was under duress but it was still valid. I had insisted upon it to add insult to his injury and to cover my back. That quashed the first accusation before it even started. Any matters that involved the old world and the new had to be decided upon by all royals of the territory. The old and new worlds were to be treated as two very separate entities. Word had gotten out about France being involved. No one knew the details or to what extent. For this I had no answer. The night I celebrated my coronation they would see Cohan for themselves. They were free to ask him questions if they dared.

Another thing that was proving to be very difficult was to have my petition approved to make Sookie my queen in the vampire world. It was a first. It was also a very unpopular concept. That was not enough to deter me. I cared nothing of the feelings of other sovereigns. But I had to be mindful not to isolate myself. The highest honor vampires bestowed on humans was a status as bonded. Sookie was beyond that. Long had she been more than my bonded; more than my wife; she was half of me. She should have a title that reflected that. After questioning my sanity the Ancient Pythoness agreed. I knew there would be a backlash for this as well. People would presume I was weak and had grown ineffective. I was eager to make an example of someone.

Clearly I was dealing with a lot. Last on the list were human relations. There was unrest in the government as to the quick changes in our leadership. Our power structure was beginning to appear unstable and volatile. Not that it was any of their concern but it was understandable. This wasn't a pressing problem but it was a problem none the less. It helped that I left Felipe alive. The humans did not believe that Sophie Anne died of SINO-AIDS. They had been keeping a closer eye than we all thought.

Copley Carmichael was the father of Sookie's former roommate; Amelia the witch. He owned me a favor and needed to remain in my good graces. He could be of great use to me in this matter. I would continue to retain him for all matters that he currently handled for Louisiana. Pam would also use his services in Arkansas as well. In return he would make introductions for us to meet the proper politicians. Rallied support from the human masses wasn't much but it was useful. Our kind was victimized in Rhodes but we did not get the sympathy vote. It had to change. If for no other purpose than to give extremists reason to pause. They had to be afraid not only of us but unfavorable reactions from their own kind. We haven't been doing as much as we should. The more reclusive we were the more it benefited the fellowship of the sun and other groups like them. I could play nice to win the popularity contest. It would quell the flames of hate against my kind if they saw a king of vampires as less threatening.

Sookie screened any humans and two natured that were going to be in proximity to all my affairs. In terms of vampires there were only two people whom I could trust absolutely. They would both be leaving. It was for that reason I decided to create another. In this matter Sookie assisted me. She would know their worth. She also knew what to look for. Soon she found a candidate that showed promise. She told me she suspected he was her opposite. Where she read thoughts he projected them. If that wasn't enough he had combat experience. Tonight I would meet him.

The residential community I purchased in Shreveport was an ideal palace of sorts. It was nowhere near extravagant but it what I wanted. I had my people close but Sookie and I could be alone when we desired. The renovations in New Orleans were still in progress. Although I could have relocated if I so chose. I had no interest in it. I was king. What was the point if I couldn't make people come to me instead of the other way round?

"Your majesty" Indira said. I looked up. "The human you are expecting has arrived" I nodded.

"Show him in" Pam and Tristan were in the room with me.

"This should be interesting" Pam said. I nodded. She was right this was another first. With the previous immortals I had created I had watched them; stalked them for many nights in the shadows. This experience was completely other. He was choosing to come to me.

"Behave yourself Pam" She grinned and made no promises. Indira returned with the human behind her.

"Your majesty Gideon Michaels" She bowed and left. Physically speaking he was imposing. There was something exotic about his features. His face was the pillar of ease although his heart beat was slightly accelerated. He copied Indira's gesture. I motioned for him to sit and he did so.

"My wife speaks highly of you" I said. It was obvious that the title I introduced Sookie by surprised him but he did not let it show too much.

"Thank you" He said with a small nod. He was watching me but he kept glancing slyly at the sabers behind Tristan's back.

I smiled. "Are you afraid?" I asked. He returned my smile.

"Not afraid, hyper aware" I liked his demeanor. He had courage but he was not blinded by it. There was also a semblance of superciliousness. I admired it.

"Tell me about yourself" I encouraged.

"Like my life story?" He seemed surprised and amused by my request. I nodded.

"The short version" I clarified.

His eyes fell upon the flames in the fire place as he spoke (still inspecting Tristan every fifteen seconds without fail. It was impressive). "There isn't much to tell. I don't know exactly where or when I was born or who my parents were. I was left on the steps of a police station in Boston when I was an infant. I spent my whole life in foster care" I was confused. I was unfamiliar as to what that was.

"An orphanage" Tristan explained.

Gideon rolled his eyes "Well they don't call them that anymore it's not politically correct. Though the life and concept is the same" He was more amused than sadden by his explanation.

"I'm getting replaced by Oliver Twist" Pam mused. Her comment was too low to travel to human ears. Tristan fought a smile. If I didn't know better I would say she was jealous. While it was a useless emotion and unwarranted it was still very comprehensible. I created her long after my first child met her end. For a very long time she was my second in command. She had been my only child, my last vampire lover, my closest friend and confidant. We were all coming into a lot of changes. This was one of them.

Gideon continued. He wasn't feeling anything as he told the sad story of a mediocre human existence. "The second I turned eighteen I joined the marines" this however elicited some emotion from him. His nerves had abated so I wanted him to continue speaking. I was also unfamiliar with the military fractions of the Americas.

"Why did you choose the marines?" He was openly grinning as he replied.

"They are first to fight" I looked at him wondering how he had avoided the attentions of one of my kind for so long. He was already detached; he was interesting and strong; and physically appealing. His disposition was enough to be frightening but he was stable.

"Gideon this is Pam and that is Tristan" He offered them each a nod. The one he received in return from Pam was begrudging at best.

"He can shoot but can he fight" she said in a bland tone. I looked at him to answer. He merely smiled in response. He was really irritating Pam that in itself was cause to turn him. "Tristan perhaps a demonstration" Pam really disliked him. That match up was hardly fair. In matters of visceral strength it was like the strongest human fighting the smallest child. He wouldn't be allowed to use any weapons for fear of causing Tristan lasting harm. They were looking at me for approval. I did want someone who could hold their own. Sookie suspected he was gifted and I did not want him damaged. In any case no matter how badly the loss this exercise would provide insight. I didn't have a great deal of time to train him extensively. I needed someone that would hit the ground running.

My decision had already been made. "Consider this an initiation" I said with a smile. He grinned and nodded.

We all headed into the yard of the large compound. Gideon tightened his ponytail and removed his shirt. "Tristan use human speeds and strength" He nodded. They faced off. The first mistake Tristan made was to approach him hastily. Gideon used the force of his attack to spin him around and kick his legs out from under him. He released him instantly and leapt back. All the vampires had their fangs down. Mine were out from the excitement of a good fight. Pam and Tristan were excited but angry.

Their match continued Tristan was using less and less restraint. But Gideon gave as good as he got. "Enough" I called out. Tristan had blood running down his nose but he wasn't loosening his grip. He was behind Gideon with his arms wrapped around his neck. Gideon was well on his way to passing out. That was the draw back with breathing even the best human fighter needed air. I really didn't find the attraction or attachment that some felt towards a human existence. Tristan released him but kept an arm around him so he wouldn't fall over.

"Not bad for a breather" Pam commented. Though she disliked him she was glad I had someone that was capable to watch over me in her absence. He had earned their respect, mine as well.

I had given Gideon a day to prepare for the transformation the only thing he did was cut his hair. Three day later I woke and got dressed minutes before my child opened his eyes for the first time as a vampire. He had tasted different. Not sweet to suggest he was anything more than human. He was just different. He had suppressed the urge to fight and recoil from the pain. I suppressed the other urges that came with blood. This was something I hadn't done in close to two centuries. It was erotic there was no denying that. It was also beautiful. It was the most consecrated thing to my kind. He was worthy and so I was binding myself to him. The experience was untainted because the roles were reversed. I was happy I would never feel guilt over making him. It made it more significant for me.

He opened his coffin and just sat up examining himself for several minutes. He looked at his hands and ran them through his hair. "Whoa" he whispered. I smiled. Not at his inadequate description. I smiled because unlike Pam he was unafraid. It took a good portion of the night to calm her when she woke.

"Yes now if you are done I have much to tell you" He got out of his coffin with too much force and dented it. Then he flew in front of me "Steady" I warned. "How are you feeling?" I asked. He took internal inventory for a few seconds.

"Like me" I knew from the sound of his voice that he hadn't expected that. He continued. "Only I can see everything in better resolution" He pulled in a deep breath. "I smell everything better too. It's confusing. I'm thinking and feeling everything at once. It's hard to focus on the conversation because I'm sorting through all that stuff and I'm hungry" He paused to make sure he was making sense. I nodded. "I also feel like I need to be with you" He confessed. He was confused by this desire. I could tell that he was typically not a lover of men.

"It is all very natural" I looked at him. "Focus what I say to you now you must always remember" He nodded and stopped looking about the room. "Our blood is sacred it is what makes us what we are. Never give it unless the person is extraordinary and worthy of you because it is binding. You will become privy to their every emotion. What we now share is even more profound than that. I have bound you to me and me to you. We are connected on a level deeper than that of humans and their own beating hearts. I will always be able to feel you and you me" He nodded.

"That's why I want you?" I nodded. That was true in part the other reason was because he was hungry.

"Pam is my other child and Tristan is her child. You will feel Pam more than Tristan but your blood will always recognize his." Thankfully I would be able to skip hunting techniques; when and how to mingle with humans; how to hide and survival in the wild for now. He was trained in the military I was sure the knowledge he acquired there coupled with instinct would not steer him wrong if ever the need arose.

I got brief flashes of blood and the two of us together. I quirked an eyebrow at him "Are you aware of what you are doing" He looked confused and shook his head. Sookie was right about him. "You are sending me mental images of what you want" He was even more confused.

"Is that normal?" I shook my head. That was a topic for later. He needed to feed. He would not be able to feed alone without killing someone for a few months. "Slowly, get up" Slowly for a vampire was human speeds.

He did as I asked. "Human speeds suck" I nodded and smiled. He got dressed and followed me down stairs. Synthetic blood would be enough to sustain him but human blood was best and I needed to show him restraint. The donors were gathered in a lounge. We got close enough to hear their heart beats and feel the warmth of their blood in the air. I had to keep a hold on his arm to keep him at my side as we entered the room. His eyes were glued to the humans. His body was tensing to spring.

"Be still" I ordered as I led him to a chair. I watched as his raw hunger fought against his self-control. It appeared cruel to make him sit and watch but it was a test to gauge the strength of his will. He resisted for five minutes. All the while his eyes were dancing over the assorted collection; trailing a potential meal.

"Which one do you want?" He pointed at a petite woman with red hair. She came and took a seat between his legs with her back to his chest. His fangs became fully extended. He swallowed against the urge to drive them into her. It was straining what control he had left but he did it. "You must always remember. They are fragile. Moderate the pressure of your body" He was tense. The muscles in his body were taught. I was sure if he laid a hand on her as is he would break a bone. He lifted a hand slowly and wound it around her waist. Gently he held her to him.

"Listen to her heart while you feed. You must focus. Do not let it slow" He nodded and leaned forward and bit. The woman gasped in pain but her arousal was very palpable in the air. Blood was hardwired to sex for us. There was no solid explanation as to why. He was experiencing that for the first time. His hand left her waist and massaged her breasts. She moaned and arched into him. It wasn't in her best interest to encourage this. He did not have the concentration to both feed and have sex without killing her. After a few pulls her heart beat was steady but her pulse was weak. I did not intervene. I waited for him to follow my instructions and he did. He released her with effort. He licked her wound and she was dismissed. He needed another. He was showing me images of himself and a brunette. He wanted blood and sex.

"Not until you are sated" He nodded. He fed from another donor and his hunger was abated. While he fed I did as well. It wasn't something I did often. No one ever tasted as good as Sookie. But it kept my strength up and I had to feed less when I had human blood instead of synthetic. It was something I had been honest with her about. She understood and knew she was my only lover. It was just the nature of things. When Gideon was finished he was eager to have his other hungers fed.

"Remember" I warned. It would really irritate me if he killed someone. "Easy. No biting" A shiver ran though him as the edict I gave settled into his body. He didn't understand it. "That was an edict you cannot disobey even if you tried" He was not bothered by it. With Pam I never used edicts. I could restrain her physically if I had to. Doing the same with Gideon simply wouldn't do.

I turned to leave and he became uneasy. Usually the first person a vampire had sex with was their maker. Neither of us favored male lovers but it was in his blood. I was denying him that. In his body it wouldn't feel right to have this experience without me in some capacity. I sat. When he was at ease I looked away and blocked his emotions. I was a vampire in a monogamous relationship. Feeling his pleasure was making it difficult. He was thoroughly enjoying his new found stamina. I went idle to wait him out.

When he was finished we left. He showered and got dressed. It would be easier for him to pay attention now. "My wife is a telepath"

He gave me a disbelieving look. I nodded. "Wow" He breathed.

"You are the opposite I think" He thought about it. "When she met you she knew you were special"

He was not convinced nor did he want to contradict or disappoint me. For reasons I cannot imagine humans often squandered or repressed their talents. "Think" I said. "Throughout your human life, was it not easy for you get your point across or to get people to go along with what you wanted?" He was meditative for a minute. Then he nodded.

I had a thought. If he can show me images of what he wanted he can distort my vision. It would make him an excellent offensive or defensive weapon. "Cloud my sight" I said. This task was advanced considering he just became aware of his ability. Sookie could help him strengthen and develop it. I was certain if he was manifesting talents in his human form he was capable. His abilities did not require eye contact. He closed his eyes and focused on the task. My vision began to blur. It wasn't constant or total there was shading in my peripherals. It flickered as he struggled. I pushed my mind against the intrusion and he faltered.

"Well done" I commended.

"Really" He asked surprised. I nodded. I hadn't expected nearly as much. It was distressing for me to have one of my most vital senses tampered with even though I asked him to and I was somewhat prepared .

"You will train. As she becomes available Sookie will aid you" He nodded and was excited. That was all the time I had to spend alone with him. He would still have to stay close.

"Tonight you are to watch and learn" The rest of my night was occupied. He knew nothing of the complex dealings that went with my title. It would take centuries for him to learn how to play this delicate game. It wasn't something that could be taught directly. I had meetings with the appointed sheriffs of my state. There were arrangements for public appearances that had to be made. I noticed he did not need to be told what to do. He kept his face expressionless. I sat and he stood behind me. He did not speak unless spoken to. He was already eliciting wary glances from those who were present. It was a wise assumption that any human that I had turned to be my guard would be a danger. He sent me mental glimpses of things he noticed in the event that I didn't. He was taking to his role with great caliber.


	3. Changes

**I read the first chapter of dead reckoning. I laughed my ass off. I so cannot wait for the book. I got some excellent reviews and thought/concerns. We are very early into this. So I think I wil cut down the days between posts. So here I am and we are moving right along…**

**Sookie**

**Chapter Three**

**Changes**

In the past months everything had changed so drastically it's hard to know where to begin. Eric is now king for starters. His power structure was full of vampires from the old regime. Just about everyone got promoted. Still the only people he could trust unequivocally were Pam and her child Tristan. Even then it wasn't enough. Lately I found myself doing all kinds of things I never would have imagined. This was by far the strangest. One of the very first things I had to do was interview human candidates for Eric's new vampire child. I didn't really know how I felt about that, probably three different ways. From what I understood it was a very hallowed thing to make a vampire, the choice was an intimate choice. Again I wasn't sure how I felt that he trusted me with it. Pressured was fitting.

The only thing that gave me comfort was that they were choosing this. In the back of my mind I kept insisting it was murder. Logically I didn't see how suicide maybe but not really as they wouldn't really be dead. The great reveal had made everything so different. Eric wasn't ambushing anyone while they walked late at night. He wasn't stealing their future or forcefully removing them from everything they knew and loved. Thinking of it like a job interview helped me get over the mental hurdle. It was a position that lasted an eternity. It was a job nonetheless. Hell whoever he chose may still be invited to thanksgiving dinner with their human family. That depended on how they felt about fangs.

I just never had a clear picture of just how many people wanted to be immortal. The process was grueling. Initially it was advertised that anyone from the age of sixteen to thirty could apply. I pitched a fit. I have been into the minds of teenagers. There was no way they could make a decision that would last for all eternity. At the risk of sounding highhanded they didn't even know what they wanted tomorrow not to mention five years from now. More than half the ones that showed up the first day wanted to be forever young; encapsulated in their beautiful young bodies for all time. To be fair it wasn't just the young people that were guilty of this. There were people that were sick and afraid of dying. There were people who wanted to be undead so they could hurt people weaker than them. There wasn't a single were or shifter. Eric specifically asked not to even entertain the notion. I already knew as much Jake Purifoy was some what of an oddity. It further displayed the gap between the two species. Searching through all those people was how I came across Gideon Michaels.

"Good afternoon" I greeted him with a strained smile. My patience was all but gone as I sat down to sort through the last draft of people. He held his hand out and I shook it.

"Afternoon" His grip was firm but he minded the fact that I was a lady. He was tall; a shade or so shorter than Eric and had a similar physique. He was a happy mix of Asian and Caucasian. His hair was wavy and was pulled into a little ponytail. He had hazel eyes that sparkled when he smiled. He had on a pair of dress slacks and a collared shirt. People have been dressed in everything from Fangtasia drab to thousand dollar outfits. Honestly what could I say? This was the most abnormal interview in history.

"Would you like a drink" I offered to help him relax. People were easier to read when they were at ease. He shook his head.

"No thank you" I nodded and took a deep breath.

"So, the million dollar question" I dropped my shields and listened. He was a very loud mentally. It appeared to be more than that he seemed to be projecting. I immediately became interested.

"Why not?" He answered with a shrug. It wasn't along the lines of what I had been getting for the past five days. His response somehow corroborated his proper but casual appearance. One woman told me she wanted to make the world a better place and one life time wouldn't be enough. It was evident she didn't know a thing about vampires. It was also evident she was full of shit.

I waited for him to elaborate. He ran his hands through his hair removing his ponytail in the process. "I have been killing people for the past ten years." The images I was getting from him were more vivid than reading a mind it was as if I was seeing it first hand. He was pulling my mind into his. I fought the urge to slam my shields down. Eric would find value in this. This person wouldn't need years to accumulate fighting experience. He was more than capable protecting Eric. He caught the look on my face and quickly explained though I already knew the circumstances. "I was in the military, special ops" He felt proud and he sounded it too. I fought the urge to yank myself out of his thoughts. "There is no way I can go back to being a civilian. Can't exactly put on my résumé that I killed people" He had a point. This was one of the only places where such a thing would be valuable. "Technology is making guys like me obsolete. I'm not worth the trouble when a nerd from the air force can point a satellite and neutralize a threat with no casualties or remotely control a plane and clear an area from a million miles away" He shrugged. He was happy about this but he also heavily resented the fact. "I am a soldier through and through" He concluded. His eyes were clear and his face was hard. I took a sip of my water to gather my thoughts.

"There is no one that you'll be leaving behind?" He smiled and his face was easy again.

"No mam" He didn't explain but I saw the images of his life. He had always been in some institution or another as far back as he could remember. He had no roots anywhere. There was no reason or anyone to make him stay.

I wasn't trying to scare or deter him I was making sure he understood the one sidedness of the maker child relationship. "Do you have any knowledge of what this would mean? He will own you" He was pensive for a long moment. In his head he didn't see the difference between one vampire owning him and a bunch of fat balding idiots in Washington.

"You work for him right?" I nodded.

"Do you think he's a bad person, I mean as vampires go" I shook my head. Eric has struck me as fair. He has always been fair in his dealings with me. He was even fair when he took back Louisiana and Arkansas. There was no doubt in my mind that no other vampire would have let Felipe live and keep Nevada. Pam told me he was a good maker. She served him because she must but she also did so willingly. They seemed to have a good relationship. Compared to the fact that there were makers like Ocella and Lorena Eric was definitely top notch.

He shrugged. "Then I'll take him over some twat in a suit" He caught himself. "Pardon the language" I smiled. If there was anyone that would have been perfect it was him. He already had my stamp of approval but of course the decision was left to Eric. For the sake of being thorough I saw the remaining people. There was no one that came close. That was how Gideon Michaels became the next child of Eric Northman.

Three months following the take back of Louisiana and Arkansas (I refused to call it a takeover it was simply going back to the people who had it first) I didn't see Eric or Pam or any other vampire for that matter, not even Bubba. Eric was off in New Orleans constructing his hierarchy. He took a page out of Sophie-Anne's book and remained sheriff of area five. This would mean we wouldn't have to move to New Orleans. I wouldn't be too far from everything I knew. I would have been happy to go back to his original home in Shreveport. That wasn't really possible. It wouldn't fit his entourage and it got burned down the night he became king, thank you Victor. Fangtasia also got burned down, thank you Felipe.

Marrying a vampire is complicated. The fact that that vampire was a king made it even more so. When Eric had proposed to me (the human way) I envisioned a small wedding. Big weddings were for people with lots of family and friends. I had very few of each. Still my wedding was now transformed into a two day thing with a lot of people. I use that term very loosely. The first night we would be getting married. The next night we would be celebrating Eric's coronation or official announcement. Along with Eric's coronation was Pam's and my own. Like I mentioned before a lot of people got promoted. Pam would be getting announced as the New Queen of Arkansas. I would be getting announced as queen of Louisiana. That is all as nerve wracking as it sounds. I have had way too many brushes with death because supes didn't yet realize they shouldn't congregate in number greater than two.

Being made queen was happening against my vehement protests. Not only was I not interested the least in becoming a royal. I was missing the main criteria for a vampire queen. I was human. Eric insisted that I had proved myself. The fact that all the members of the old regime saw me stand and fight at his side the night of his take back was enough. We argued as much as our limited phone calls would allow. He informed me that he was going to do it anyway and because I was informed before hand it wasn't highhanded. I sort of lost the debate there. It felt like a million years ago Bill had told me that Eric was becoming more willful. I wondered if this was just him pushing the envelope. To vampires I was human; delicious and useful but I was still beneath them, period. The idea of me as a queen wouldn't make me popular with them not even a little bit. It was the makings of very bad things.

Eric had offered to give Pam the throne and live simply with me. With his child as queen we would be safe in her state. Refusing was one of the hardest things I had ever done. Why couldn't I be selfish? Looking back at all the things I had been though some may say I deserved to have some monotony. I was one of those some. In just that one instance why couldn't I put my desires first? That was just it. Eric was putting me first completely. How depraved would I have felt I wasn't doing the same for him? I knew he loved me but that was something I had never imagined he would give up. It wasn't just me trying to be fair. It was the right thing to do but I was so scared. I had a hard enough time keeping up with Eric the Sheriff. I had no idea how I would cope with him as king. I had no idea what it would mean for me; for us. After all this time I felt like I had finally found the perfect balance between the Eric I originally fell in love with and the real Eric. All this extra power and politics would completely destroy that. He said he needed me with him so I swallowed all my fears best as I could. During the extended absence those fears grew stronger.

o0o0o0o

I was having a cup of coffee to get my day started. It was Thursday and I had to work the lunch shift. Today was officially my last day at Merlotte's. I kept trying to get my mind around that. Very few people grew up aspiring to be a barmaid, I just fell into it. Back then gran had needed the extra help though she never asked. This job made ends meet. I hadn't planned on being a waitress for the rest of my life but life events just kept me there. If I had gotten the opportunity I was sure I would be doing something else. At least that's what I kept telling myself. I loved that place. It had been such a big part of my life; my identity even. Now I was leaving it behind. Everything about Merlotte's gave me a feeling of familiarity and comfort, a home away from home. Lord knows I spent enough time there for that to be true.

I knew I didn't have to work exactly. Sam was throwing me a good bye party. He had tried very hard not to think about it. He had invited pretty much the whole town not really contributing to secret keeping. Sam had actually closed down the bar until dinner. I wished he hadn't. The last thing I felt I needed was a party. I just wanted to work and have a normal last day. Seeing as how he was trying to make it surprise I couldn't hardly comment. He has grown to be one of my best friends. I knew he had wanted more but I was happy with what we had. I was even happier that he accepted it as well. With all the familiar places and faces I was leaving behind I would miss his the most.

When it was time to leave for my shift I took my time getting dressed. I did something more elaborate with my hair and applied a little make up. I still wore my uniform and hoped that I would at least get to wait tables. It was my party after all if that was what I wanted to do I should be allowed. I was looking in the mirror before I left the house. I was thinking about the next chapter of my life. I had no prior experience to draw from to help me prepare for what was ahead. I didn't know exactly what would be expected of me (if anything).Overall I looked the same like I did last night and last year and even the year before that except some lessons that were hard learned. It was silly of me to think something on the outside would change to reflect the change in my circumstance. There was none.

I jumped in my new car and took the same old route to my same old parking space. I pretended not to notice the extra cars in the parking lot though I couldn't be help but be touched by the turn out. In this town I was crazy Sookie Stackhouse. To the supe community I was a telepathic human. It made me feel good that some people showed up to say good bye. From here on out I would be buried in vampire shit. "God help me" I took a deep breath and walked through the employee entrance. I braced myself mentally.

The inside of Merlotte's was decorated with balloons and streamers. It was all coordinated in shades of pink and purple. Sam had out done himself. He was the first to jump me. He pulled me into a hug. The room erupted into applause and cheers. In all my years I never would have thought anyone cared this much. "I know you aren't surprised but thanks for the poor acting Cher" Sam whispered. I laughed. He pulled away and I was looking at a room full of people. I had no idea what to say. Pretty much everyone thought I was crazy for marrying a vampire. They still hoped I wouldn't get killed. If you didn't think it was a sentiment then you didn't know the people here. I was overwhelmed and fighting tears. My brother came to the rescue.

"This here is a party aien't it?" He already had a beer in his hand. I turned a blind eye to it. My gran would roll over in her grave to see her grand baby drinking at noon on a Sunday. At his words someone turned up the music and the party began. My attempts to serve anyone drinks were thwarted by a very pushy Sam. I gave up and tried to enjoy myself. In truth I was having an okay time. Tara and J.B were there along with their children. It was hard to believe that they were the same infants I had seen a few months prior. They were huge. Andy's wife was there she brought their son. Portia Bellflure was there. She was expecting her first child. If everyone in the party didn't know it was a miracle.

By the time I had made my rounds though the bar greeting people I found that Portia was not the only one that was expecting a child. It must be something in the water. Hoyt's nuptials were around the corner and he expecting with his fiancé. Mrs. Fortenberry needed a soap box on which to recite possible baby names from. Calvin the leader of the were panther pack in Hot Shot and my brother's ex father in-law of sorts was having a child with his new wife. To him it wasn't a big deal he had already fathered children. Hot Shot was all about breeding. Tanya his wife was ecstatic. Once upon a time she was sent here to ruin my life but I was happy for her. Mostly I was happy she made Calvin happy.

The last and closest to home was my brother. Jason pulled me aside and told me he and Michele were having a child. All these surprises told me I should give myself a pat on the back for having done such a great job for keeping out of people's mind. I also hadn't been around much lately.

"So what do you think" My brother was a lot of things but I knew he would be a good father. He liked children he always has. "We're getting married. I don't want nothing big. We're just going to the court house" He sounded a bit hesitant at the last part. He didn't want me to feel I was being left out. Hugging him was my only response. Michele was good for him. She would slap him upside his head if need be but she was strong enough to endure any trouble he might get into. There was nothing to think. He had finally found someone that complimented him. Gran would have been happy.

"I'm happy for you brother" My tears no longer remained unshed. My brother was moving on with his life. None of the ugliness with his first wife Crystal had scarred him. If anything it matured him and made him a better man. He returned my embrace. Like I mentioned I was shielding like crazy. The contact of his skin told me he wished I had that kind of potential with my husband to be. Well he wasn't the only one. The thought was painted with strong feelings of loss that it was shocking. I stiffened momentarily but got a hold of myself. I didn't know what to feel at his thoughts. I planned on being there for my brother's children. They would know me. The loose branches of our family tree wouldn't be flapping idly in the wind.

There was good food and decent people. All in all it a very fond farewell, at the end the party I realized how much I was leaving behind. I had been around these people my whole life. They were familiar. Granted I knew a lot more about them than I ought to and they didn't think much of me. But none of them wanted anything bad for me and vice versa. It was the best I could hope for considering how skittish I made them. Jason and Michele followed me to my house. I had packing to do they had offered to help. I wasn't bringing much. I figured it was a good time to have them take their pick of baby items in the attic. That night after my brother had gone I laid in my bed and my heart felt heavy. It wasn't a good or bad feeling or happy or sad. It was just a bit much. I just had to cry it out.

The next evening I walked around my old farm house just touching this and that. When I left tonight I wouldn't be coming back. The most personal of my things had been moved this morning to Eric's new compound in Shreveport. From what I heard he actually bought a small gated community. It provided us with some privacy. He still needed to keep a lot of his people close. I appreciated the thought. Living in an obnoxious mansion and sharing it with all his underlings was not something I thought I could handle. Dorothy wasn't lying when she said there was no place like home. Mine had been a sanctuary since the day my parents died. With all the things that have changed the feeling I got from being here didn't. My house and Merlotte's had been the only constants in the past two years. Those two things were what kept me centered. I was saying goodbye to them both. A new chapter of life was starting. I tried to tell myself that it wasn't good bye it was see you later. It didn't help much.

"I don't know why you're sad, I'm the one that has to live here" My uncle had popped into the house and pulled me out of my musing. He was quickly followed by Claude. I smiled.

Dermot had money to buy a house but he and Claude were happier living together. Although I was leaving this house I couldn't sell it and Jason didn't need it. Dermot said he would live here and pay for the up keep. It was selfish but I felt like if things got to be too hectic I could run here and hide away for a little while. I planned on seeing Hunter here

"Come on cousin. You are marrying a sexy piece of vampire. I don't see a downside" I rolled my eyes he was so crude. My Fae relations were taking me out for a bachelorette party of sorts. This was something your girlfriends normally did. Tara had her hands full with twins. She would meet me tomorrow morning before the wedding. I would have loved to have Pam come as well but like I said all the vampires in the states were busy. On a happier note Amelia would be meeting us there.

Like always the fairies were dressed to impress. How good they always looked was nothing short of amazing. Dermot was in a sky blue button down shirt and black slacks. Claude was in a white sweater and grey slacks. I had on a silver cocktail dress. It stopped well above the knee and it was strapless with a black sash under the bust. I completed the look with black pumps. I thought I looked nice. I had planned on doing something fancier with my hair but I got caught reminiscing.

Claude wanted to go to a strip club. Now you would think because he was a stripper and owned a strip club he would want to do something else. I strongly protested and he conceded with very little grace. Instead we would be going to Tantric. It was a very popular club. I hoped it would all be low key. I wasn't in the mood for anything over the top.

"Cheer up" Dermot said. He patted my hand while I drove. I tried to smile but it looked like a grimace. "Do you not want to wed him?" He asked.

I shook my head. "No, that's not it" He waited for me to explain so I did. All of these uncertainties and insecurities had been festering in me for a long time. It was like a dam breaking. There wasn't really anyone for me to talk to besides Eric. I just kept rambling until I had thoroughly embarrassed myself.

"Only you would be bent out of shape about marrying a king" Claude said. His tone was full of its usual condescension. Dermot chuckled. My cousin Claude was good for two things. Looking good and screwing it up the second he opened his mouth. If he was trying to make me feel better he should have kept quiet.

"There are many difficult quandaries in this world. This does not have to be one of them. You love him" He waited for to answer. I nodded. "He is who you want" I answered with another nod. He shrugged. "While much else maybe uncertain as long as those feelings aren't all will be well" He squeezed my hand.

"Look at you Dermot" Claude jeered from the back seat. He strangely accented Dermot's name. "When did you get all wise and shit" We all laughed. It was true. Dermot appeared to be so much like Jason in looks and demeanor. I have never pegged him for sagacious (previous word of the day).Knowing his personality it was very hard to believe that he said just what I needed to hear. Eric was my heart. By this time tomorrow I would be married. There was no going back now. With that realization I felt my shoulders ease.


	4. New Beginnings

People show appreciation by reviewing I wanted to show my own.

I came up with was dedications to avid reviewers at the beginnings of each new chapter.

My first goes out to... {drum roll please}

**PEPPERMINTYROSE**! {And the crowd goes wild!}

This one's for you! You are SUPER AWESOME!

;) Yes, I am going to embarrass someone like that with each new update ;) LOL

**Sookie**

**Chapter Four**

**New Beginnings**

They insisted on paying for everything from the valet to the my drinks. Claude knew the owner of this establishment and got us a V.I.P table. I noticed that fairies didn't drink alcohol. It must be one of the many toxins we had in this world that made them crazy. Like the last time I went out with these two I was getting a fair amount of attention. I was celebrating so I didn't fight the pull of the music. Before too long I spotted Amelia. I ran full on in her direction and pulled her into a hug. I haven't seen her in so long. When we parted ways the both us had been emotional messes. Her from the death of a man she cared deeply about me from torture. My eyes were tearing up.

She hugged me back enthusiastically. "Stop before your vampire thinks he has to kill off the competition" I laughed. I took her by the hand and led her to the table. She had already met Dermot. He had been out of it but she remembered him and he remembered her. Typical Amelia was thinking about how hot Dermot was. I introduced her to Claude. He managed to insult her in less than two seconds without ever speaking. It really had to be a talent of his. Amelia briefly contemplated turning him into a cat. I was having a ball and all my troubles were forgotten for the moment. Amelia and I danced and talked. We caught up as best you could in a night club.

Who would show up but Pamela Ravenscroft in the flesh? I couldn't believe it. Without a second thought I ran at her. My arms were already around her before I realized I was grossly infringing on a vampires personal space with out express written consent. I stiffened. Then I heard her laughing. To my surprise and relief she returned my embrace.

I was going to have to regain my sense of boundaries and do it soon. Hanging around fairies had diminished it greatly. "Sorry, I jumped you just now. I'm happy you're here"

"Yes. I surmised as much" Her arm was still around me as we went to the table. She greeted Amelia. No, that wasn't accurate she leered at her. Like someone who was dieting would stare at an ice cream sundae. A while ago Pam and her had had a fling. Thankfully I was spared the greater details but there was an attraction. The thoughts in Amelia's head might as well've been written on her face. That was what I loved and hated about being in her head. She never thought one thing she wouldn't say out loud or put into action. At the moment she was thinking about leaving with Pam. I blocked her. Did I ever mention she was a very loud broadcaster? With the vampire addition Claude became uneasy but he kept his distance and continued to enjoy himself.

It was unnecessary because Pam wasn't interested in him. Her eyes zeroed in on Dermot who was dancing a little too closely with another woman. She didn't show any emotion and I became anxious. These two shared a thing be it past or current I didn't know. I wasn't sure what to call it. It was torrid, scary at times and plain unnatural. It was parabolic of a bird loving a fish. Not that I was one to throw stones as I was living a glass house my damn self.

Dermot saw Pam and smiled. To my horror he began locking lips with this woman. I didn't notice Pam leave my side I just saw her on the dance floor. Her and Dermot were both mighty hands on with the same woman. I looked else where. There was no way to understand their relationship. I honestly didn't want to. It was now beyond disturbing. Amelia became sullen but she didn't mind being the third addition to the Pam and Dermot coupling. Gross. I tried harder to block her. That was my great uncle. I really didn't need the visual.

Our peaceful night came to an when Amelia went to the bar to get a drink. A man that had been watching her decided he couldn't take no for an answer. I saw him grab her arm. She was clearly panicked. I walked over to her. "Pam" I called. We were in a crowded club with the music blaring but I knew she heard me. She was at my side instantly followed by Dermot. Claude was watching from a distance. Like always he looked more annoyed than concerned. His face was saying he needed to find some real friends.

"I believe the lady refused" Dermot said. His tone was icy. This man was too drunk to realize the kind of danger he was in. I didn't want him hurt but I saw he was an angry drunk. Even with all of us around he hadn't let Amelia go. This was most likely going to take a violent turn.

"Get lost fag" He hardly go out his insult before Pam slapped him-hard. His jaw popped and fell slack. Simultaneously Dermot bent his wrist back and freed Amelia from his hold. The way he bent it I knew it was broken because last I checked your fingers should never touch the back of your wrists. This unlucky drunk was howling in pain. Pam grabbed me. Dermot grabbed Amelia and we exited the club long before anyone registered the incident.

We stopped to get our cars. Dermot and Pam looked happy as clams at their assaulting someone. Granted he deserved it but they could pretend to be somewhat perturbed. Claude appeared right as our cars were being pulled up.

"What was that about?" He asked. I explained. I do so eagerly because I was not the cause.

"I should have known" It was unclear to know who his eye roll was directed at but we all got a taste of it.

"Are you coming?" I asked. He shook his head. Just then a burly man exited the club. The only thing on his mind was Claude.

"Good night cousin and congratulations. Sorry I can't be there. Vampires you know" He hugged me.

"Yeah I know. Thanks for taking me out tonight. It meant a lot" It really did. I never had a lot of friends and I didn't have a lot of family. On the eve of what was going to be the most monumental day of my life. It meant more than he would ever know that he thought to do this for me. He hugged Dermot too but ignored everyone else. Then he trotted off with his boy toy for the evening. The rest of us left. Dermot and Pam rode in her car. Amelia rode with me.

The drive to the Caspian hotel wasn't very long. That was one of the reasons we chose that particular club. Pam showed me to Eric's room. Then she disappeared with Amelia and Dermot. Call me square. I told myself that they were going to play checkers. Taking into account all the things I have seen and done I didn't think I was innocent. What they had planned was just something I didn't want taking up any amount of space in my mind. I prayed Amelia would help in that endeavor.

With my worries gone I just knew I was going to get the best sleep that I have had in a long time. It was disappointing that Eric wasn't here. Given the time I wouldn't be seeing him tonight if he wasn't here already. Sigh. I wondered what he was doing. Did vampires have bachelor parties? If so I didn't want to know what it entailed.

There was a note on the neatly made bed. It was in the perfect scrawl of my vampire.

_My lover, my friend, my bonded, my wife,_

_Pam informed me that I am not to set eyes upon you until we are wed tomorrow night. I so look forward to it._

_The outing to end your maiden days was uneventful I hope. _

_I love you,_

_~Eric_

Nothing was traditional about our wedding. I would have thrown it out the window for Eric. Pam must have either remembered that tidbit of tradition from her human days or read it somewhere. If I had to guess I would say dear Abby told her so. Either way it was proving to be a pain for me. I haven't had sex in months. Normally this wasn't a problem but it was like going from having gourmet sex to starving. As it stands I have a permanent case of the hots for Eric. I have never craved anyone so voraciously just from physical beauty. I was still surprised women did that. I was more surprised I would. I didn't miss his choice words either. I could almost see the smirk on his face "uneventful"

As my mind began to fade I had a thought. I didn't have any normal friends aside from Tara. Tonight was a very memorable night and not in a; have to kill someone; run for my life; see something I wish I hadn't kind of memorable. It was happy and fun. It involved two fairies, a witch and a vampire. I realized I wouldn't want it any other way. I loved them all. That thought put a smile on my face as I fell into a dreamless sleep.

o00o0ooo0ooo0o00

I was nervous. It was silly. For all intents and purposes Eric was already my husband. The bond we shared and the things that we have survived together should make this feel like nothing. In my head I knew I was acting crazy but I couldn't help myself. I was a bundle of nerves. Thankfully I would be spending the early parts of the day being primped and pruned with Amelia and Tara. All the details of the nuptials had been coordinated by a lovely woman named Lily Whitlock. She was the southern belle. She reminded me of my gran. I met her once and told her what I envisioned; what I had always dreamed of. She has been rolling with it ever since. David described her as an unstoppable force. He suspected she may have done something illegal to get the napkins died the proper colors.

Right on cue the hotel phone rang. This bed was huge I rolled over a hand full of times to reach the other side. "Hello"

There was a happy voice on the other end of the line."Good morning to you soon to be Mrs." Lily. Her energy at this time of day was amazing.

"Morning Lily" I greeted. I picked out her head the few times we met that she got a real kick out of that. 'Morning Lily' like the flower she had reminded me.

"Just wanted to give you a heads up they are almost ready for you down at the spa" I was already getting out of bed. Damn I wondered if Amelia was up yet. Hopefully her night hadn't been too late. "I have Mrs. Du Bois down here with me"

"Okay. Thank you. I'll be down shortly" I hung up. I showered quickly. Bothering with my hair would have been pointless. I wasn't even dressed in a socially acceptable manner. Digging an outfit out of my bag would have made me later. I had on one of Eric's button down shirts and a pair of shorts. The bride had special privileges or so I hoped.

This hotel was modeled to look like a huge southern manor. It was only four stories high but it had over a thousand rooms. All of them were equipped with newer metal coffins. It was the same ones Eric had when he was in Vegas. They could survive almost anything including a flight out of a window. This was technically the vampire floor. They were empty some of them had a human in them but for the most part-nothing. The day chambers of the vampires were below ground. I was certain the only reason I knew that was because I was a telepath. There were a slew of voids under me somewhere.

The next room over was Pam's. I fished behind it to see if I could find Amelia. No dice. Dermot's unique mental signature was present though. I smiled to myself. Pam actually trusted him enough to have him with her while she rested. Knowing her I never thought I would see the day. I ran down stairs not wanting to leave Tara waiting. Tara was in the lobby being harassed by a very perky Lily. She was so relieved to me. I had to laugh. You would think someone was shoving bamboo under her finger nails. I pulled her into a hug. She had been at my good bye party but we didn't get to talk much. "I'm so happy to see you" I said. She hugged me back.

"Happy to be here" She said simply. Those words were sincere. They were crystal clear in her head. "Now please save me from this woman. I'm begging" She whispered into my ear. We laughed. Lily felt she was doing a good job just because I was smiling. I had the perfect task for her. Amelia didn't tell me what room she was staying in. The front desk might not release the information to me. Yes I am a telepath. I could have easily asked and ferreted out the information but Amelia should have been up by now. I was going to send Lily after her.

"Lily my bridesmaid is nowhere to be found" I said. I worked to make my face sad. She immediately came over to me. She wrapped an arm around me and rubbed my back. "Now sugar don't you worry. I will go hunt up Ms. Broadway" I nodded seeming un-reassured by this. This fired her right up. I almost felt sorry for Amelia. She sent Tara and me to the spa. The entire hotel had been booked. The only people staying here were invited guests. Some were human others… not so much.

Tara and I walked in and the pampering began. At first I was uncomfortable with this notion. I have never been to a spa I could never afford it. Lily said it was complementary with the package that she had gone with. There was nothing I could do to argue. Tara and I were laid over massage tables. All the tension I had been carrying along with all my nerves was being rubbed out of my body. Even if I could argue I no longer wanted to. It felt wonderful.

Ten minutes later the calm atmosphere was being intruded by Amelia's mental broadcast. She was in a hotel robe. Lily was shadowing her steps. I stifled a giggle. Her night must have been something after we parted ways. She was a mess. Her every other thought was of turning my wedding planner into a cat or a creature whose natural appearance would complement her vicious personality. She was ushered into a chair and her massage began. She slept through most of it. An hour later we were being served breakfast while having our toes done.

"I can't stand that hag" Amelia grumbled. I smiled.

"It wasn't her fault I sent her. I didn't know your room number" She gave me a watered down glare. I gave her an innocent look. She ignored me. By the time our nails were being done Amelia was herself again, we talked. It felt normal. I have never spent time with the three of them like this but it didn't feel weird. We joked and laughed. Lily even thought to have a photographer there with us. The pictures he took didn't portray our best moments. But he captured the real moments and encapsulated the silliness; the joy; the love between us. I could almost forget I was getting married. The day was so stress free. It just felt like a group of friend hanging out. It felt normal. In the back of my mind I knew it wouldn't last nor will I get to spend time with them like this again. But it was memories like these that would pull me through no matter how crazy my life got.

We had a late lunch in my room. Our dresses had already arrived. I tried to avoid looking at the garment bag that held my dress while I ate. To Amelia's dismay Lily ate with us. All day she had just been shadowing me making sure all my needs were met. All while staying on top of last minute affairs and trying to keep me happy. She wasn't doing it because I was marrying someone powerful. She was doing it because I was the bride and today was my day. While she didn't have a formed opinion on vampires weddings were her thing. She genuinely thought I should be happy no matter what. After lunch it was time to get our hair done. My hair was curled into spiral curls and held up at the sides with little pearl combs mt gran wore on her wedding day. There are some people that enjoyed this kind of treatment on a regular basis. I wasn't one of them. It was a bit much and it was wearing me out.

I stood at the balcony of my room. I could already see that the canopy had been set up for the reception. That was something I had always wanted; to have my wedding reception outside. The canopy was huge. It was white and decorated in gold. There were also flowers than wound around the poles of it. It made the canopy blend in smoothly with the scenery. The hotel was set over endless green grounds. In the distance cherry blossom trees and weeping willows were swaying in the light breeze of spring. There was even a man made stream that ran through it. Over that was an arched white cobble stone bridge over it. White benches and colorful flower beds littered the landscape immaculately. Dusk was painting the scene with a beautiful glowing shade of red. I was speechless. It was perfect. Eric hummed into consciousness. There were a few rays of the sun casting shadows it wasn't fully dark yet. I fought the urge to communicate with him mentally. I just focused on how happy I was, knowing he could feel it.

The photographer clicking from behind me pulled me out of it. Behind him Tara and Amelia were giving me worried looks. I didn't know how long I had spaced out.

"Are you alright?" Tara asked. I smiled and nodded. It was a mixture of my panicked smile and something genuine. My nerves were back in full effect. Lily trotted into the room towing the woman who made my dress. I didn't care for Mary but Lily swore by her. Her designs went along with what I envisioned. I may be marrying a vampire king but I wasn't going to wear an obnoxious dress. The gown we came up with was perfect. It provided the precise blend of elegance, style and sophistication. The fabric she went with was silk. The dress had an empire waist line with a thick gold band under the bust. The straps crossed in the back. Countless crystal beads were hand stitched around the trim of it. The embellishments also ran over the straps. The dress displayed my form. There was no bulky paneling underneath. I have never been a fan of trains but the one she gave me was subtle. Tara was my maid of honor. Her dress was one shouldered. It was floor length with a thigh high slit. Amelia was my bridesmaid her dress was strapless and hung right above the knee. Their dresses were the same color of orchid. It coordinated with my bouquet. An hour later the three of us were dressed.

I heard their approach before they knocked. Vampires; three of them.

Lily answered the door and returned to the room followed by Pam, Tristan and Gideon. They were all decked out. Tristan was in a khaki colored suit. It complimented his dark hair and eyes. He was handsome as you would find most vampires were. Unlike most vampires he wasn't usually dressed like something out of GQ more like high end version of Abercrombie. It was very preppy but casual.

Gideon was in a classic tux. I tried not to stare at him. The last time we met he was human. He looked the same except he cut his hair. He was paler and his mind was a black hole but not a completely. I wasn't sure if it was because he was unique or because he was newly made. I couldn't read his mind. His signature was different. His black hole had static.

Pam had on a black silk gown. She was the equivalent to Eric's best man. They each carried boxes that looked like it held jewelry. I tried not to cringe. The last thing I wanted was more jewelry.

"Excuse us" Pam said. Everyone in the room got up and headed into the sitting room of the hotel. I stood there feeling strangely nervous. The vampires in front of me were Eric's relation after all.

"Is this the part were ya'll threaten me?" Gideon smiled brightly and stepped forward. It didn't escape my notice that no one answered my question. He opened the box he held. I stifled a gasp. It was stunning and simple. Sapphires and diamonds decorated a thin band. It matched my engagement ring. He seemed to be working hard to keep his eyes from the pulse point on my neck. I didn't hold it against him. He fastened the necklace. Next Tristan came forward. His box held a matching bracelet. He placed on my right wrist.

Pam moved with a box that I suspected held earrings. When she moved Tristan did too. At first glance he appeared very Andreish in regards to Pam. Tristan was scary but he wasn't creepy. Having been at the receiving end of both trust me when I tell you there is a big difference. When you looked closer he wasn't teetered to her ankle the way Andre was to Sophie-Anne. He didn't shadow her every step. It was more than that. It was a stronger pull than magnets; it was more like a satellite. He revolved around her. She so much as raised a hand and he moved to compensate. Even when I thought he wasn't looking; even when he wasn't close to her. It was sweet and very intense and very scary.

When she had placed the earrings on me she took a step back and gave me the once over. "This is the part where we threaten you" She said. Her face was calm. "I will not enjoy it but harm him and I will make you beg for death" It was a testament to my warped state of mind but I was actually unshaken by this. I know something was wrong with me. I would revisit it later. After all this was something humans did too. Except a threat from three vampires was much more viable and painful I was willing to bet money on that.

I nodded. Pam smiled and hugged me. Confusing right "Never would I have thought a breather would be worthy of my master but you my friend are" I returned her embrace. Only a vampire could go from delivering jewelry to making death threats in the same breath. Only Pam would add hugs, smiles, and odd compliments.

"Thank you Pam"

She released me and gave me a stern look "You will protect and serve him well" I nodded again.

Gideon snorted. "I'm his bodyguard" he stated it as if Pam was being simple minded. Pam looked annoyed. It was same look she used to give Anthony. Then I wondered if she may harbor any feelings of jealousy towards him. She has told me Eric had another child but that one wasn't called to serve him she was. I wondered if Pam had been his favorite. It seemed silly because she was a century and half old but I was trying to explain her palpable dislike for Gideon.

"In a fight I will bet on her" Pam replied. She was really making me sound like the bogey man to vampires. I just didn't need that. Gideon was looking at me and I knew that look anywhere. Many a vampire had directed it my way; appraisal. I smiled to seem less threatening.

"Their relationship did not get off in the right foot" Tristan said with a shake of his head. Gideon smiled and I had the distinct feeling he enjoyed that fact more than Pam did. The vampires left after that.

**One more round of applause for Peppermintyrose! **

**Doing dedications are fun! But if you would rather I left you out then just let me know. Shoot me a PM. I won't be offended and I would hate to make anyone uncomfortable.**

**Thanks for dropping in. Review! Review! Review!  
**


	5. Mine Officially

Chapter five belongs to Athenaie...It is tribute to show that sometimes Begging is the way to go.

Athenaie This one is for you!

Enjoy!

**Sookie**

**Chapter Five**

**Mine; Officially  
**

An ache crept into my chest. When Jason came for me. I wished more than anything that gran could be here. She never tried to think it and she certainly never said anything but I knew she worried that I would end up alone. I wish she could see how happy I was. She would have liked Eric. I thought of my parents. Being as conservative as she was my mother would have pitched a fit of that I was sure. There was no telling how my father would have felt about his only daughter marrying a vampire but I still wished they were here. Instead Jason was walking me down the aisle. I didn't let those thoughts mar the genuine happiness I felt.

My brother cleaned up nicely. We walked towards the main ballroom. I was holding his elbow. "You are happy right?" He asked. He was fussing with his bow tie. Delicate conversations were not his forte. He didn't want to come off as critical or disappointed. "I mean this what you want" I smiled and leaned into him.

"Jason I will never be as happy as I am right now" We never had an easy relationship Jason and I. It warmed my heart that he was trying. I heard the music and I held unto my brother a little tighter that what was necessary. The doors opened. It was like I was seeing Eric for the first time. All six foot four of him he was clad in a tuxedo that had to be custom made. It was all all black except his jacket. It was white. His hair was braided intricately and held at the ends with a black band. Dashing; debonair; stunning none of those words were enough to describe what I was seeing.

In my mind the music stopped. I didn't see anything else but Eric. Every step I have taken; every injury I suffered, every scar I harbored, every decision I ever made was to bring me closer to this moment. The last piece just fell into place and I didn't know it was missing. Here and now I felt it all. It didn't even bother me that I was the only one. Eric didn't understand the significance of this. I broke into a smile and I couldn't get up there fast enough. Thankfully I didn't have a long way to go. Before I knew it Jason was handing me off to him in this age old tradition. To my surprise Eric actually shook hands with my brother. Then he kissed me. Clearly no longer of caring about tradition I am not ashamed to say I returned it. He let me go but held my hand and we faced the justice of the peace. Nothing that the vampire in front of us said registered. My eyes were on Eric and his were on me. The parts of our vows came. He insisted on having his own. Nothing in the traditional one applied or appealed.

"I Eric take you to be my wife. All that I am, I give to you wholly and irrevocably" He smiled and put my ring on my finger. I looked down at it. Where my engagement ring left an opening the wedding band closed it. The emotions dancing through our bond was almost too much for words.

"I Sookie take you as my husband. All that I am, all that I will ever be. I give to you" I slipped his ring on his finger. His band was titanium. It was plain and simple and oh so Eric. He pulled me into another kiss. And let me tell you if we were not in a room full of people I would be getting naked.

"I now declare you husband and wife. You may continue kissing the bride" I smiled. Eric freed me of his amazing lips. All the creatures that weren't vampires erupted into applause. We turned and headed down the aisle. The ballroom doors led seamlessly into the scene I had looked over earlier. It was even more beautiful in the dark of night. The flowers I had seen had been artificial and they lit. The scene I had envisioned was put to shame. This was perfect.

Over head I vaguely heard the emcee introduce us for the first time as Mr. and Mrs. Eric Northman. The first dance commenced. Eric pulled me into his chest.

"You are beautiful" he whispered. I was so happy. He wiped my tears and kissed me.

"You're not so bad yourself" He chuckled as we danced. It was a damn shame that I couldn't tell you what song was playing even if my life depended on it. He lifted me into the air and spinning me about. Like usual I laughed like a lunatic. To put it simply; euphoric. I forgot where I was. His eyes boring into mine were the only thing that kept time. Otherwise it would have been completely lost.

When our dance ended we went to our honored guests; the Koválls. They were a different kind of vampire. They were openly affectionate and generally peaceful. Most importantly they were the most powerful. Their maker was well over ten thousand years old and the vampire king of France. He was amiable in nature until his children were threatened. Then he kills people-a whole bunch of them. Most of the vampires here were eager to get a look at them. It wasn't that he was reclusive. Cohan and his children were always in the public eye. Any vampire that wanted to get into France had to get his clearance. He didn't give it out a lot to keep the humans in his kingdom safe from rogues. He was a bigger celebrity than Dracula. While all the vampires gawked at living legends they appeared to be blissfully unaware. All of them were seated and just watching the scene. Except Ateyo he was being led unto the dance floor by a little girl. The pair was drawing a fair amount of attention from all the creatures present. Myself included.

Eric stooped at what was the respectable distance for vampires. Anthony however had no regard for vampire personal space. He came forward and gave me a casual one handed hug. Thank goodness because in this noise and this distance I would have to strain to hear.

"My dearest friend, the ceremony was enchanting" I returned his hug. I liked Anthony. His disposition was like a breath of fresh air. It was very easy to forget he was a vampire. It didn't seem likely when he had showed up on the front steps of my house a few months ago. I guess he would call it destiny that I didn't leave him to die or that I was even home. Whatever it was those few days he spent hiding in my house were life changing.

"Thank you Anthony it's good to see you again " I said. He answered with a dazzling smile. That traces of saddened that shadowed his face was gone. Nothing could replace what he had lost when his mother met her final death. No one would understand as the people that surrounded him. He looked at Eric they one of those silent vampire conversations.

Cohan came to Anthony's side. The first time I met him he did things I am yet to understand. Not understanding them didn't make them less frightening. Cohan emanated raw power. It poured off him in waves.

"Hello again little one" The way he said little one wasn't insulting considering the fact that I was a grown woman. At his age everyone was little. I smiled and gave him a real bow and even added a curtsy. The last time I greeted him I was on the cusp of passing out and my greeting had been inappropriate if not insulting.

"Thank you for coming all this way"

He gave me a carefree wave. "I like weddings" That was as sincere as it was unexpected. "You have not been properly introduced to my children" I could identify them because I had seen pictures but I didn't speak up on the matter. I met Negy, Eráh, and Demetrius they were all very polite. They smiled and offered congratulations and commented on the ceremony. In person Negy was even more stunning.

"Atéyo is there" Eric and I looked though I already knew. His hair was in a word unmistakable. It made me wish for a brush a pound of gel. He saw us looking and the little girl he was with smiled and blew a kiss at Cohan. Cohan smiled back at her and he looked completely turned to mush. She was laughing and began running over. That little maneuver almost led a vampire to his final death. I was at least glad he wasn't one of ours. Awful I know but I was relieved all the same.

The child wasn't paying attention and ran into him. The impact landed her on her bottom. The vampire was angry. He spun around to find the culprit. Finally seeing none he looked down. At some invisible signal all the Kovall children were frozen. Their eyes were honed in on the scene. They looked all kinds of hostile. Except Cohan he appeared calm.

Atéyo however was the most terrifying. His fangs were not extended. His body posture wasn't aggressive. The look on his face however was bone chilling. Some of the other vampires that were watching looked scared. Just to give you a good idea. The girl hadn't even gotten the chance to register the spill she had taken. Atéyo went to stand behind her. He didn't help her up his eyes were fixed on the vampire she ran into. He immediately dropped on one knee. Then he extended his had to the girl she used it to get up. She gave a small nod of her head to the vampire that she ran into. I didn't know exactly what was being said but it looked like she was apologizing. Her bow said they were equals. The ancient vampire behind her said he had better accept. His bow was much deeper than hers. Atéyo picked her up. Humans were wearing a wide array of emotions. The vampires looked awe struck. Beside me Eric was a mixture of amused and confused. I didn't understand it either.

They came over to us. The child was cuter than a spotted dog in a red wagon. From the color of skin she was a beautiful mix of Caucasian and African American. The very light brown of her skin made her eyes pop. The blue of them were the color of lighting they were framed under thick lashes. Her hair was the color of caramel and it hung in curls around her face.

"Are you alright?" I asked her. Atéyo was straitening her dress and looking at her hands. In general he was just fussing over her or looking for a reason to take offense. His eyes were still following the vampire from the altercation. It was very clear he wanted to kill him. My only hope was that he wouldn't do it here.

The girl gave me a smile that displayed perfect dimples. "Yes, thank you" Her English was accented but it wasn't one I could place. She was easy enough to understand even with the usual verbal hang ups of a child her age. Her demeanor was very mature. and it was obvious she hung around ancient vampires. Her eyes left me and she reached for Cohan. Atéyo handed her over.

"Téyo I wanted you to greet Eric and his bride" Atéyo smiled and nodded at us. He still didn't look nearly as calm as you would want a vampire his age."This is his child Aríndia" (pronounced E-REEN-DIA) The little girl smiled again and waved her hand in beauty queen kind of way. Normally the thought of a child belonging to a vampire would have made me sick. I thought of Ocella and Godfrey. It was different for this little girl. Anthony had told me that his maker had found him as a child. They were never lovers it one of the many things that made his family different. Eric spoke to them about their flight any accommodations they may need to make their time here as enjoyable as possible.

We moved on to other guests. Eric was at my side the entire night whether we were greeting vampire, human, demon or two natured guests. The reception was in full swing. I danced with Jason, Pam and even Tristan. There was cake and picture and the tossing of the bouquet. It was a blast. This was easily the happiest day of my life. I caught Eric looking at me a few times. There a slight smile on his face.

I made use of the telepathic communication we discovered some time ago **_"What"_** I asked.

He just kissed the top of my head. **_"I love you"_** I all but melted.

I was glad when the evening began to wind down. I wanted to be with just Eric. We got ready to leave. That was when I picked up the mental signature of a fairy. Of course there was no thoughts to be heard. But this fairy was familiar. I didn't know how I knew. I just felt like I knew this fairy. If a fairy was here they weren't going to come close to the main reception, what with all the vampires and everything.

"Lover?"Eric still had a hold on my hand and I was looking in the opposite direction.

"My cousin is here I think" He nodded in understanding.

"Take your time"He kissed my lips lightly and let me go.

I walked through the lobby of the hotel and ended up on the opposite side from the reception. There he was sitting on a bench under a weeping willow. "Niall" I whispered. It was a question. I had stopped moving expecting him to be figment of my imagination. Maybe I had spent too much time on cloud nine and was now hallucinating. He stood and held his arms open for me. I ran at him (I have been doing a lot of that lately). In this instance it was more than right to do so. He let out a little "oof" when my body hit his. He wrapped his arms around me. We just stood like that for a long minute. He pulled away and examined my face like a I would fruit at the grocery store. He turned it this way, then that like there was supposed to be an answer to a tricky question written there.

"You are lovelier than I remember" Good bye plain Jane. A fairy called me lovely. If that wasn't an ego booster I didn't know what was. I could have been mistaken but I could have sworn he also sniffed me. "Stronger too" There was a small smile on his beautifully aged face. I nodded. We sat down he put his one arm around me and I held the other. This is why I was having boundary issues. It felt right to be like this.

"I didn't think I would ever see you again"

"I did not think you would want to but I did not want to miss this" He looked as uncertain as I imagine a fairy prince of his measure ever could. The last time I saw him I had been badly battered from being caught in the crossfires of the Fae war. The war was centered on keeping the portals of their home world sealed. Although Niall was on the opposing side of that view point after the war he sealed the portals anyway. It made getting hurt so badly seem that much more pointless. I never blamed him for any of it. It made me happy to have known him no matter how short a time. I was also happy to learn about my lineage. I told him so. He gave me a look I couldn't quite decipher.

"I see you married him then" I frowned when I recalled his last words to me. Life would have been easier had he told me at the time he was referring to Eric. It would have saved me a lot of uncertainty.

I simply answered, "Yes"

"I must give you a gift. It is customary" I sighed. He has been trying to give me things since the first day I met him. Outside of helping me find Remy there was nothing I had ever wanted except to know him. I suspect this was a perfect opportunity for him to give me something I didn't need. I was about to go with my knee jerk reaction and refuse but the perfect thing came to mind and only he could give it.

"Anything I want" He seemed more pleased than suspicious that I was actually going along.

He patted my hand. "Of course child if it within my power. You have but to name it" Okie Dokie then.

I wasn't looking at Niall's face so I never saw his initial reaction. "I want you to let Dermot back into Faery" I kind of just blurted it out so I wouldn't prattle with an overture as I often did when I got nervous. When I looked back at him his expression was calm.

"I can smell him on you" Ah...hence the sniffing. The enhanced sense of supes was beyond intrusive. "You broke the curse" I nodded. At least he wasn't denying he did it. I didn't exactly know how long Dermot had been under that curse but it made him seriously crazy. I knew he suffered. He still suffers. We all have. I felt it was enough already "I take it you have forgiven him"

"Yes" I didn't know if it was a deciding factor or not but I added "I love him" Niall nodded. He seemed to be deep in thought.

Then he changed the subject very indiscreetly. "You are able to use magic" He said. I nodded. I told him about what I could do. He was stunned I was able to use Fintan's sword. He seemed proud that I followed after him in terms of magical ability so much so he even gave me pointers. We talked about some of the changes I was coming into. I told him about Jason though he wasn't mighty interested. He listened all the same.

He let out a deep breath that was uncharacteristic for someone as elegant as he. "Call him"

I did as he asked and five seconds later Dermot was in front of us. His face went from shock to fear then it settled on pain and shame. He dropped on both knees simultaneously. He was on the grass but it couldn't have been painless

"Father" His head was bowed and his eyes were glued to the ground.

"On your feet my son"

Dermot didn't move. Which I thought wasn't very smart. He looked up and I saw tears running down his face. I would leave them to it but I didn't fully trust Niall not to curse him again. Fairies kept their word but he hadn't made me any promises.

"I do not deserve the title. I am sorry father so sorry and ashamed for all the ways I have wronged you. In living or in dying I would take it all back" Niall got up and walked over to him and wiped his tears.

"I know and it if for that reason that I welcome you home" Dermot began crying in earnest. His father ran a hand through his hair. It was a tender gesture.

"I cannot" Dermot chocked out. He was looking at me. .

Niall looked too "You wish to stay with her" Dermot nodded. I was touched. I also felt kind of silly I could have saved myself the trouble.

He trained and I was no longer that helpless. It was still not in my best interest to get rid of the only person who could teleport instantly to my location if I called but I knew he missed his home world. I owed him my life. He has never asked me for anything. I wanted to at least try to do something for him. "It's okay" Not really because it left me with Claude as my only accessible Fae relation. Sigh. "I'll be fine"

Dermot looked like he was going to make a comment about my knack for disaster but Niall spoke up "It does not have to be now" We were both happy with that. "I wish to speak with her I will come to you later" Dermot nodded. He gave me a Jason kind of smile then he disappeared. I stood up.

"Will I see you again?" I asked hopefully. He looked above my head.

"The portals are still sealed" Asking him how he got here or how he knew I was getting married would have created more questions than it would answer. Although I was sad at not seeing him again I was happy I meant enough for him to want to be here. He walked closer to me. He placed a hand on my chest directly under the hollow of my throat and the other was cupped my face. He did it slowly as not to startle me. He said something in a language I didn't understand. His body glowed brightly for a second. I felt my spark react without my meaning to. The familiar warmth of it was running through my body. Then he released me.

"What was that?" It would have probably been more prudent to ask beforehand but I knew he wouldn't hurt me.

He smiled but it looked worn he suddenly looked fatigued; unwell almost. "Something to ensure your future" rarely do you get a yes or no answer when you asked a fairy a question. I was just going to chalk this up as some kind of fairy wedding ritual or good luck spell. "I must be going now as should you" I nodded.

"Goodbye Niall" I released his hand.

"Good bye my dear child and good luck" I looked at him until that shimmer in the air left me looking at nothing.

I began walking towards the place where I had left Eric. I didn't get far. Strong, familiar arms wrap around me from behind. "You really shouldn't go in there smelling like that" Before I could comment his lips were crushing on mine. He scooped me up bridal style and we were in the air. I gave a little shriek of delight. The flight to the balcony of our room was short. All the while his nose was buried in my shoulder. A low rumble was building in his chest.

"When you smell like that I want to fuck you, bite you and rub myself all over you" His voice held promises of sinful pleasures. A shiver ran down my spine. My libido was always doing flip flops whenever he was around. Add the extended absence and the fact that he sounded like pure sex and I was half way there.

"Have at it" I replied and he did.

I found myself naked in the middle of the bed with my husband over me. His kisses were urgent and hungry. He was rubbing his face against my body like a cat would cat nip. The look on his face was almost orgasmic. I knew he was too high off the fairy blood for foreplay. I knew he wouldn't be gentle, I didn't want him to be. My body had been aching for his touch. I was more than prepared. His fingers were playing my favorite tune. The anticipation was causing a tingling sensation deep inside me. It grew in force by the second. I felt like I was on fire and I needed him to put it out.

Our bond was fully open and it was filled with raw desire. His want and need fed mine and mine fed his. He pushed into me and I cried out at the sheer size of him. Every time we got together after any length of time apart it was like he never left. He drove into me hard. I raised my hips to meet him. I wanted to take him deeper. All the while my body burned.

Before this moment I would say Eric had discovered and conquered all there was inside me. Then he reached the source of the flames that had been consuming me. With every thrust my body clenched as he brought me closer to my release but it also intensified the heat that was now taking over my being. He bit into me. When I came it was powerful, dynamic, and almost painful but absolutely sublime. A transcending moment in time would have also been an accurate description. I had to bite him to funnel the excess otherwise I would explode. Well maybe not that but something drastic would happen. My idea about orgasms in jar was sounding better and better. With a growl Eric had his own release.

I had barely caught my breath but I was going for more. "Again, I want you again" It was the most demanding I had been in the bedroom. But he indulged me passionately. Kisses and caresses, moans and screams, there were no more words. My husband made love to me until I was too spent to move.

**I hoped I provided a good look thus far into my own characters; Tristan and Gideon and their interactions with one another. **

**How did you all like the wedding?**

**It was a bit challenging trying to capture all the little details and emotions, It took some work until I was satisfied with it but I'm happy. **

**Anyone have any thoughts as to what that old fairy was up to?**

**One more time, Athenaie. Take a bow!  
**


	6. Coronation

Sorry that it took so long to update. It's so unlike me to leave people waiting. I have a few excuses but I will spare you all. I humbly ask that you all forgive me anyway

I wrote this chapter from SPOV and EPOV two whole times before I got this. I forgot "My Eric" voice there for a second. It was infuriating…

I was walking down the street today just minding my business and out of nowhere just really random this hot guy…I mean he was HOT black tank top and black jeans. His hair was blowing in the breeze and everything. He just happens to resemble the great big Viking himself. Said sexy man asks me, "Do you know any awesome Fae chicks? I just had to smile and say why yes I do and this one is already yours…**Ericsfae!** this one's for you. May all your Viking dreams come true.

**Eric**

**Coronation**

**Chapter Six **

I was not fully conscious and I knew Sookie was not going to make this easy. She was anxious, about what I could not tell you. She had a friend in Cohan. He liked her as much as Anthony did. If someone was bold enough to pick a fight with me over making her a queen in our world. They wouldn't do it in his presence. In any case she was more than capable of defending herself if the need arose. The crowd of people that would be present this evening was substantially less than that of yesterday. With the exception of Sookie the gathering would be all vampires. Few of which were here for the reason they had even been invited. They all wanted to see Cohan. Now that they had, they were all doing almost anything to curry his favor. Nothing had been effective as far as I know. Stan had offered me his half of a resort development for an introduction. That was the least expensive offering I had received. Russell and Bertrand offered me five hundred million to allow them seats next to the Kováll clan.

The offers were tempting but I knew that having the protection of Cohan all to myself was priceless. When nothing forward worked I received some very generous wedding offers from monarchs in every territory. Aside from the fact that I knew what they were after none were suitable. Louisiana even in all her devastation was a rich kingdom. I myself am an old and powerful vampire. Very few others were in my league so to speak. Lastly Sookie would not abide it nor should she have to. I wasn't exactly sure but I thought it would make her feel as though I did not value our vows of the human union. Strangely enough I did. When they began realize the attempts to get to Cohan through me were futile they went after my child. Pam was receiving other offers to form alliances with her Kingdom through marriage; Stan as well as Gertrude of Kansas. While she wouldn't officially be queen until nine this evening the word was already out. All this made Isaiah more secure and eager in his decision. He was now pushing to wed Pam sooner than later. He set a date for a month from now in a location of Pam's choosing and he would incur all the costs of the ceremonies.

When I entered the room Sookie was seated on the bed. She was more than half naked. She was topless and had on undergarments that may as well have been absent for all the coverage it provided. My thoughts strayed to the prior night. The sex was easily the best I have ever had. The more one gave the more the other begged for more. She bit and scratched as I lost myself in her. Never before had I wanted to bury myself in someone so completely. I felt myself stirring. If this was a distraction tactic on her part it was working. I smiled and wagged my eyebrows at her. In no mood she reached for a towel and covered her body. It was a pity but probably for the best. I sighed. She was intent on making one more attempt at dissuading me.

"I want to talk to you" I sat down beside her. "Eric I appreciate that you want to do this for me but I really think it's a bad idea. I know you think the world of me and all but I hate to tell you that you are one of a few people that do" That was unfortunate. Humans were too narrow sighted to be able to appreciate all that she was. Vampires only saw her ability. I was guilty of this as well. She was a lot more. I knew instantly she was different but it took me a long time to really see that her value did not just lie in what she could do. It was in all that she was. I have lived a thousand years. I could live a thousand more and I was sure I would not chance upon a human of her inner quality.

"If I understand correctly you are asking for me to treat you the way everyone expects and not the way I feel you deserve?" My voice was gentle. I was trying to get her to see why I was doing it. It wasn't because I wanted to set myself apart or "push the envelope" as she put it. She had earned her stripes in my world through blood and courage and intelligence. Even people that didn't agree with what I would do could attest to that much. She was my wife and my queen. All those who owe me fealty will owe it to her.

I waited for her to answer. "No but…" I placed my fingers on her lips. She scowled. It was only met with a bland expression.

"There is not but. It cannot be both ways either you do or you don't"

"This is different" she mumbled. I had to smile. My fingers were still against her lips. Her tenacity was admirable. In this instance it was futile.

"I don't see how"

"Bullshit. Treating me nice because I'm your wife is completely different from naming me queen of vampires Eric" That was the first time she referred to herself as my wife. It pleased me more than it should. It suppressed the irritation of this conversation. I shrugged. "But what sense does this make? What purpose does it serve?" Her tone was argumentative. She knew I wasn't going to budge. I rolled my eyes. This was a last ditch effort indeed. How I missed the days of my highhandedness.

"It serves many purposes and it makes perfect sense" I kissed her lips and stood. She huffed in defeat. "Had you remained uncovered that may have gone differently" She threw a pillow at my back. I laughed. While she was still nervous she had become less fearful.

I was in the shower and she came to join me. I adjusted the temperature to something more comfortable. She slid in front of me. I washed her hair and her body. The steam was rising in the air and the scent of her sweet arousal clung to it. It made it that much more powerful. My fangs ran out and I could almost taste her on my tongue. I was erect and it was almost painful. I wanted her-bad.

I turned her to face me. My fingers glided down the center of her chest, past her curls to her hot core. Her legs parted for me. Her hand reached down to offer some much needed friction.

"Are you hurting at all" Even though she had some of my blood last night we had been at it for a while. She still had me in her hand. Her tongue was teasing my nipple. She bit down as she shook her head. A low growl escaped me. My hand was fisted in her hair. "Up" Her hands were around me and her legs soon followed. It felt like I had to be inside her. I gave us both what we wanted. Just like last night. The heat from her was taking over me. We weren't going to make it to the bed.

She was on her back over a towel on a table that compensated for the difference in our height. I was slow in my rhythm. Every time I took myself deeper until I was buried to the hilt.

Having an orgasm was a sublime moment in time. Sharing it with your bonded doubled the feeling. This was something else. She could be an angel of the devil himself and I wouldn't have cared with the things she was doing to me. I couldn't pick what language I wanted to express it in. It ended up being a mixture of English and Swedish. "My…älskare" My body shuddered and stilled inside her. My face was buried in her shoulder. I didn't let her go until she caught her breath. Then I kissed her and we began getting dressed.

"I can't hear a thing" Tristan's voice was a louder than what was normal. He and Pam shared the room next door to my own.

"Eric" Pam was calling out to me. From the sounds of it they were having trouble with Gideon. Fuck. I rushed to aide them. Pam and Tristan were rolling around on the floor with Gideon. There were also two seemly dead humans in the room.

"Gideon, calm yourself" He was snarling and thrashing about on the floor trying to break free of their hold on him.

"Really, clam yourself! Why didn't I think to try that?" Pam was on her back under him. Her legs were wrapped around his body. One hand was blocking his nose to cut off the smell of blood. The other had his jaw locked. Tristan had his legs. Their aim was to subdue him not incapacitate him. The former was far more challenging. "He is toying with my sight" Pam hissed. She hasn't hurt him yet but she was going to. They knew what he could do but it was most disconcerting for them to be on the receiving end of it while in a fight.

"Gideon, stop that and be still" It took a few minutes for my edict to settle into his body. He was full of bloodlust. Eventually he slowed and they let him go.

"What happened? You were supposed to be watching him" Pam shrugged. Her dress was wrecked. She looked irritated and bored now that the fray had passed.

"I was doing my hair and he ordered a donor" I glared at Gideon. He was not to feed alone. He knew as much. He was also supposed to supplementing with tru blood.

"Is that one dead?" We were all quiet as we listened for any signs of life coming from the human sprawled on the floor in juxtaposition. Her chest was unmoving and her eyes were wide open. She was dead and so was the other one that was crumpled in a sitting position. They were donors judging by the pins that were on their destroyed clothing. This was not something I had the time to deal with right now. It was a stroke of luck that they were donors. I would have to pay a fee but it was nothing exuberant. It saved me the trouble of having to go through back door venues to dispose of their bodies. They signed wavers and they were very much aware of the dangers.

"Pam, call someone to clean this up quickly and quietly" She frowned at the inconvenience. Gideon was guilt ridden and ashamed.

"If it bothers you then learn some fucking restraint. You will oversee the cleaning of your own mess. Then report back to my room" He bowed and I left. There was nothing fitting to punish him with. Forcing him to only drink synthetic would only exasperate the problem. I no longer punished a child by torture. This was a common mistake for a newly made and unsupervised vampire. We all killed from our inexperience. I took solace in the fact that it disturbed him. It was a lesson in error that he only had to learn once. We were the predators predator. By no means was the loss of human life perturbing. It was the loss of control we hated. Only restraint could help us retain and maintain it. Pam killed Tristan. I killed a farmer whose wife just died. It took something different for everyone.

I moved down to the other end of the corridor to find Thalia. "Your majesty" she bowed conveying both deep respect and hostility.

Vampires checked into the grand ballroom but I would be awaiting the arrival of the Ancient Pythoness before making my way down. There were two people that were invited but I did not expect them to show; Curtis of Alabama and Eliza of Tennessee. They petitioned and contested every complaint against me that has been over turned. "Assign teams of two and take up posts" She nodded. She absolutely reviled anything that required her to be with anyone else. Thalia preferred to be left in peace especially if there was no promise of violence in her interactions. "Go now" I left and went back into the room. Gideon was already there. I saw he was keeping his distance from Sookie. He did not trust himself around her knowing what she meant to me. He could try her but it wouldn't go at all like he thinks. She could sense the tension and eagerly left the room.

I stood in front of him. "Nothing can be attained with your regret"

"I know. I thought…" I waved him away.

"Do not dwell. Master your emotions. Dominate your fears and always, always maintain control" He nodded. He remained with me until it came time to go.

o0o0o0o

"_**It's not too late**__**"**_ Sookie thought. We were about to enter the ballroom. Her fears were present once again. I kissed her head. She looked stunning in a turquoise colored floor length gown.

"_**You will survive and when you do I have a present for you" **_I am yet to come across someone so averse to being given gifts. It took a lot of effort but she didn't frown at the thought of me giving her more jewelry. _**"We are going away, just you and me"**_

_**"Where?"**_ I did not respond. The doors opened and our party entered. She and Pam were at my side. Tristan and Gideon were immediately behind us. They were followed by Maxwell and Rasul.

In the room the guests of the evening have already been settled. The vampires from this state held a table closer to the platform that would sit the Ancient Pythoness. We would be seating to her left Cohan and his children were already in their seats on the right. All rose when the Pythoness arrived including Cohan. I suspected he acted out of courtesy for our customs than respect of it.

Mr. Cataliades brought both documents forward and placed them before her. Her unseeing eyes roved down then to the left.

"Have all parties read and fully understood the documents before me?"

**_"No"_** Sookie's mental voice was almost belligerent. She hasn't read the documents but I had explained basically what was entailed.

"Yes" Pam replied.

"I have" Then I looked at Sookie.

"Yes" All eyes in the room went to her. Aside from the people at this table no one knew what I had planned. It did not take them long to guess.

"Pamela Ravenscroft come forth" Pam presented herself before the Ancient Pythoness. "Eric the Norse man has bequeathed upon you the state of Arkansas. In so doing he has made you Queen. Do you accept?"

"Yes"

"_**Lover you are up next watch Pam and do as she does" **_Her anxiety was growing.

"_**I don't suppose there is any point in arguing"**_

"_**No" **_

"In so doing you are hence forth tied to the rules and regulations of the throne. You are charged with upholding the laws of our kind until such a time as you are stripped of your title, surrender your title or the true death claim you. Do you still accept?"

"Yes" One of her hand maidens handed Pam a quill and she signed and initialed her name on the last page of the document.

"I give you Pamela of the Ravenscroft queen of Arkansas." Pam bowed and returned to her seat. Once more the ancient one looked to the left.

"Wife of the Norseman come forth" Sookie stood with a grace that belied her unease. She seemed more relaxed when her back was to the room. Anthony gave her a reassuring smile. I was grateful I had to appear indifferent. "Eric Norseman has bestowed upon you the title of his queen" Somehow it got quieter. The beating of my wife's heart was the only sound in the room. It was slightly accelerated given her anxiety. "Do you accept?"

"Yes"

"Human you may be but you too are now tied to the rules and regulations of the throne. You are charged with upholding the laws of our kind until such a time as you are stripped of your title, surrender your title or the true death claim you. Do you still accept?"

"Yes" Her voice was steady. She accepted the pen and signed the paper in front of her. Behind her Curtis was having some difficulty keeping his fangs in his head. He was not the only one. Some were amused other were aghast. Isaiah was an odd mixture of the two.

"I give you Sookie wife of the Norseman and queen of Louisiana" Sookie bowed and regained her seat. The Pythoness reclined into her seat and looked bored. She was probably waiting for a fight to begin.

"A word your majesty if I may" Cohan stood from his place beside her. I bowed deeply. He glided to the middle of the room. Despite their anger and other feelings of hostility at the announcement. The vampires could not help but follow him as he moved. His steps were inaudible. His hair was held high atop his head with a golden headdress. His children were wearing similar pieces. "Hello to all" He nodded his head in a humble fashion. Several people looked hypnotized by the fact that he was addressing the room. Others were unsure if it was a good or bad sign. All heads in the room offered him deep bows. "For those of you who do not know me I am Cohan Kováll" It was a poor attempt at modesty. He was a bigger celebrity than Dracula. He was a legend; living and true. "It is a privilege to be here amongst so many my kind here in the new world" He was looking around the room as if memorizing faces. His gaze moved to Sookie and I. "It is is an honor to have witnessed this historic occurrence. But most of all it is a pleasure to stand here with my two young friends" The thought of someone except him referring to me as young would have been an insult.

I do not blink I did not have need for the reflex. Nothing could explain how Cohan ended up behind Sookie and I without my notice. There was a collective gasp in the room. If anyone could shock vampires it was Cohan. He placed his hand on one our shoulders. Russell's face by all rights should be a shade of jade. "Eric, Sookie, if ever you have need you will call me and I will come" I did not know what expression he wore as he spoke but his vow was solemn. The vampires in the room looked uneasy. His children began applauding politely and hesitantly everyone else followed. The room broke into small conversations.

Human help came in to move the tables and chairs against the walls. Sookie and I moved around the room and greeted guests. Pam was plagued by Isaiah if he walked any closer to her he would be rubbing against her back side. The contracts have not been sighed. He was ensuring his place. There were other Kingdoms here that were richer and more powerful. He was not oblivious to the offers Pam was receiving. There was no need. We owed him for his aid during our time under the rule of Decastro. We were not after someone powerful or rich. It would even up or tip the scales in the alliance out of our favor. Isaiah was familiar. He was a safe bet. We knew his comings and goings as well as his strengths and weaknesses. If he proved treacherous he was someone Pam and I could easily take out.

Anthony found his way to my side to irritate me I was sure. "My father has brought you a present; death dealers" That was interesting. Sookie flinched. Death dealers were what humans referred to as Amazon warriors. They were not only native to the Amazon. Their leagues ran all over the world. They have been around longer than I. It was rear to see them these days their numbers were diminished.

"From where?"

"Egypt" I smiled. This would be most entertaining. They were known for their ferocity.

"They aren't going to actually kill anyone right?" Sookie looked worried. In the past during tournament they fought to the death. It was unclear if they would today.

"No." Anthony assured her. Disappointing the lack of blood would minimize some of the enjoyment but the fighting would still be something worth seeing.

The lights dimmed and I gave Gideon a pointed look. "You will be still" He nodded. It was not an edict but a direct order. Sookie tightened the grip she had on my hand.

I poured calm into the bond. "_**Relax"**_ The most difficult part of the evening was over.

The doors opened and there was a burst of flames as the death dealer flipped into the room. The flames hung in the air. My eyes drifted to Atéyo. I knew he was doing it but he appeared completely aloof. Everyone suspected his father. Drums began playing and the fighting began. It was choreographed more like a dance with blades than a fight. They moved in rhythm to the drums and each other. Who would come to pull me away but Anthony? He told me yesterday he needed to speak with me. His timing could have been better.

"Sookie we will go for a walk is this acceptable to you" There was a smile in his voice. She deferred to me. I left her side with Anthony. Gideon joined us though he was enjoying the show. We glided to the far end of the room towards a side door no one noticed.

"You are leaving" Cohan appeared behind us. This ability if his was most disconcerting. His scent did not warn you of his approach. He just appeared.

"Eric is joining me for a stroll"

"Perhaps Eráh or I could accompany you?" Anthony smiled and walked over to him. He kissed his head and whispered reassurances to him. Cohan's attachment to him was absolute. While he trusted us not to harm him he wanted him in his sights all the same, odd.

"Gideon, wait here" He nodded and moved from my side.

We walked away in a straight line from the hotel. The lights behind us were growing dimmer with the distance. "I had a vision but I cannot see what I am supposed to do with it" Anthony was a psychic. His predictions were precise. His visions led him to Sookie while he was on the run from Victor. They also saved my life and that of Pam. It was because of him that we had earned a pledge from a ten thousand year old vampire. The ambiguity was could be maddening.

"Tell me how it relates to me" I urged.

"It would cause harm I think" His face soured as he said the last two words. "You will come across an enemy with very many faces. That battle is destined to yield more than winners and losers. It is your test" I had no idea what to make of that at the moment. I would file it away for later. "But more importantly there will come a time when leaving her will be the only choice you have" I froze and took a second to control my emotions before Sookie picked up on it.

o0o0o

On a more serious note we should take second to check out **Ericsfae** profile there is important information there!

Once again I apologize for my absence. **Please, please review...I'm a junkie. I am going through withdrawals here! **


	7. Settling Down

Ladies and Gentle let's all give a round of applause to; the brilliant, the beautiful, the magnificent…

**Lavender Lady3!** Yes it's true you are just plain great. Thank you for reading thank you for reviewing. This was my favorite of yours so far. "A wedding, Kovall's, Niall and wild monkey sex at the end... Excellent chapter!" Wild monkey sex! Hilarious

**Sookie**

**Chapter Seven**

**Settling Down**

Now if ever I was having a party for vampires I knew what to get for entertainment. The death dealers were something else. It was like gymnasts met strippers and then someone trained them to use a wide array of blades. The women were all tan skinned dark haired beauties. Their ensembles were emerald and gold. They were wearing gold jewelry from head to toe. All the vampires in the room were no longer looking at me. Their inherent taste for aggression had their fangs running out and they looked all kinds of excited. I was thankful. I was made queen before their eyes and I thought someone would have a heart attack. With no heartbeats you can imagine what such a thing would take. Despite the fact that no one else the room was breathing I had felt like there wasn't enough for me. Nothing disastrous or bloody happened. It was all thanks to Cohan. But I felt like his pledge some how made us bigger targets because now we were bigger threats.

I was looking around the room wondering if I was the only one that was worried that the fire alarms in the ballroom were not working. There were dancing bits of flames surrounding the scene of the death dealer's performance. Atéyo was doing it but with all the side conversations he was having you would never know it.

Princess Eráh was at my elbow. She was beaming with pride and affection. "She is my lover" she pointed to the star of the show. Erah appeared so sweet. She had bright red hair and big green eyes even her demeanor was very gentle. I would never peg her to be with someone as ferocious as this. At the moment her lover was in a full split swinging her chained sickle above her head. It appeared to be a five on one fight. She moved like lightening and always seemed to narrowly avoid removing someone's head.

Eric sidled up next to me like he had never left. He kissed my head. I smiled at him. I was eager to find out where we were going. It didn't matter where we went. More than anything I wanted it just to be the two of us.

"How was the show?"

"It was something" That was true enough.

"Are you ready to leave" I nodded too eagerly. He smiled. Our group left Pam unfortunately was unable to shake Isaiah. He liked her a whole bunch.

A bag was packed with warm clothes when we returned to the hotel room after the coronation. We left as soon as we got changed. I didn't get a chance to say goodbye to anyone. Pam was hiding from her husband to be. Anthony and his family left before we did. I laughed at his message to me. "I still very much enjoy being a know it all" He also said he would see me soon. He didn't say under what circumstances. That was a little worrisome.

The flight was disorienting. I slept so had Eric but when I woke it was still dark. It was three thirty in the afternoon. There was only one place where that could be the case; Alaska. When I said I didn't care where we were going I meant it. Being from the South I had a natural fear of cold and all things snowy especially in these quantities.

My stretching pulled Eric out of downtime. "Look" He pointed out my window. I turned and gasped. The northern lights were plain as day. At this height I could see the quiet arc of rich green as it painted the night sky in its light. It shimmered and glowed and it all but took my breath away. I stared until it fell out sight.

"That was beautiful" He nodded

"I think we may see a different color before we leave if we are lucky" That was exciting. I didn't have any plans to leave the sanctity of a warm fire when we got where ever we were going but I would for that.

The drive to the cabin was long. The ride was quiet. The silence was comfortable. I was lost in my thoughts. "How am I supposed to uphold vampire law?" I had agreed to a lot of things. Many of which common sense told me not to. That one I had no idea how to tackle. I know more about vampires and supes than one human ought to but I didn't think it would be enough.

"I will teach you if you care to learn but it is something I would handle" I thought about it and didn't come up with an answer as to if I cared to learn or not so I moved on.

"What am I supposed to be doing as" I tried to get the word out without making a face. "Queen"

"Do you actually care or are you humoring me?" I thought he had nerve for sounding snippy.

"I care to pull my own weight in this. I care to know what's going on around me. I don't need the fluff though" I knew I had lost him when I said fluff. I should get him a word of the day calendar with modern phrases and idioms. "Fluff is anything extra, unnecessary or extravagant" I may have added a little to that definition but so what?

For the remainder of the drive he explained to me about my position in his kingdom. Human relations were on his list of things to address. It was a good idea. He was already working with Copley Carmichael but he needed me to give him pointers on things. I would have to attend functions with him or in his place. He felt like we would be able to get things done in half the time because he trusted me to make good decisions. He would handle the gritty vampire stuff. My word was law same as his. That sounded dandy but I wouldn't be using it. I was also informed I was getting body guards. I hated the idea but it made sense. That was it for business. We soon arrived at our destination.

The cabin was almost invisible. It was tucked away on the side of a series of small mountains and tall trees. The cold was unbelievable. Eric whisked me inside. He had a fire going before I had taken in my surroundings. The inside was cozy. It had a homey feel about it. There were no animal heads mounted on walls or a bear rugs on the floor. It was decorated with warm and soft touches. The person that built this place was a genius. I wondered around and found the bathroom. There was a fire place in here too. I was going to take a shower but the tub was big enough for two. I found a scent of bath bubbles I liked then lit the fire.

When Eric caught up to me he didn't need an invite. He climbed right on in. "This belongs to Pam. She built it before the great reveal in case we were not received well" The preparedness of vampires was nothing short of impressive. Even the most hateful person wouldn't come all the way out here to hunt a vampire. I could still hear the wind howling. We soaked and relaxed until the water lost its heat. In front of the fireplace in the living room he placed blankets and pillows. Instantly I was transported to the nights when he wasn't Eric. The nights he had been cursed and we spent time in front of the fire in my old farm house.

It wasn't the plan but I slept there that night. We made love over and over again. After we lay with our limbs intertwined. I told him what I did while we were apart. He told me about his new chain of command and how it left him with more time during the night. Being the way I am I couldn't help but notice that he was worried about time even though he was the vampire. I wasn't going to open that door at least not here. The next two days were spent much like the first. The second night the aurora borealis shone red. The last it was blue which was supposed to be rare. It was the happiest days of my life. Leaving was hard because I knew we would be lucky to find half the tranquility we had here at home. Onto vampire politics and royal pains we go.

0o0o0o

Before moving in with Eric and quitting my job I had been afraid of being stuck in the house with nothing to do. I had planned on volunteering. There were books that I had in mind to read. I had even thought of taking a class or two now that school wouldn't be hell. During the weekdays though I usually had a full plate. I met with people that Eric did business with. I signed off on work orders and checks and reviewed paper work with Mr. Cataliades. Sometimes I made the drive to see Dermot. Other times he would meet me somewhere in Shreveport. In the past month I have been with Eric to meetings with his Sheriffs. I have sat in on calls he had to make to other royals and different vampires of importance.

The most challenging thing for me was the least expected. The training sessions with Gideon were making me crazy. I had been right about him. He could project thoughts so much so he could tamper with your scenes. He would be a weapon. Given his personality he was more than excited. Unfortunately he was having difficulty grasping the fundamentals of his mental ability. It was different from mine the best I could provide was a loose blue print. I thought because I was telepathic it would easy for Gideon to send to me or for me to read him but it wasn't. My telepathy caused a mental glitch that made me immune to all vampire mental effects. All I got from Gideon was a void with static.

"It's like trying to talk and listen at the same time" Eric was watching us. For all intents and purposes he was the test subject.

"Ready" He nodded. He looked at Eric and I could tell when Eric began to "go blind" (it was what we were calling it) His body stiffened and despite him knowing he was perfectly safe I could feel his anxiety. It was disconcerting to go from being the strongest in the room to the most vulnerable in the blink of an eye. I waved my hand in front of Gideon's face and snapped my fingers, nothing. I tapped his shoulder.

"It's not working" I could tell he wasn't one who has had much difficulty with achieving things much less failing. In the beginning when I got pulled into peoples thoughts I could barely hear or formulate my own. The problem he was having was when he played with someone's senses his too were affected. It was a beginner hang-up.

"Think of it as a separate part of your mind" I have been repeating this to him over and over I mean I just didn't know how else to explain it.

"It doesn't work for me that way" Yes blame my teaching skills.

"Well why don't you come up with another way that works" I sat down. He was getting on my nerves.

"I'm not a freaking telepath" He growled in frustration

"I'm not a freaking whatever the hell you are" It was close to mid night we had been at this for over an hour. I wasn't fitting to take any shit from anyone.

"Gideon" Eric said. I hadn't realized I had stood up and was getting ready to face off with a vampire twice my size. My fist were balled at my side and my whole body was humming. Eric pulled me to sit on his lap. The hold he placed around my waist was more for restraint than for comfort.

"I'm sorry Sookie. It's not your fault I suck at this" He sounded sincere enough but I still wanted to hit him upside his head.

"Lover he is young and eager to learn. You must be patient" My mouth dropped open with an audible gasp. While Eric had a point I couldn't help but feel hurt that he hadn't taken my side. Childish I know but still. I had to be patient. He has been at this for a month and was blaming me because he wasn't getting it perfect.

When I got angry I cried. Though my anger had faded as quickly as it had come I was hurt. Crying made you look weak no matter the cause. I stomped off because they weren't going to see me do it. Eric let me be. He didn't come find me until I was in bed.

"What exactly are you so angry about?" He wrapped his arm around me kissed my head.

"I don't know" I admitted. Right now I felt plenty embarrassed for losing it like that. It was worse because I couldn't exactly say why. There were nights when we had worked at it longer than that and the both of us had gotten frustrated but nothing like today.

"Your temper has been escaping you a lot as of late" What could I say to that. I guess if anyone would know it was him. His fingers were interlaced with mine and he we were quiet for a few minutes.

"I think you will benefit from a break" I was happy that I was going to see Pam in a few days. But I didn't feel stressed out or overwhelmed. It didn't feel like I needed a vacation. In fact in comparison to the things I had been expecting and fearing it was quiet, boring almost. When one hung around vampires boring was the absolute best case scenario.

And no my temper wasn't the only thing that has been escaping me. My libido was out of control; completely bonkers. Sometimes during the day I would have to take cold showers. I arched my back into him. His hands were skimming the edge of my silky night gown. I didn't have to ask him to give me what I wanted.

o0o0o0

The next week I worked with Gideon because I would be going away. There were no improvements but we worked at all the same. Maybe he was right in his thinking so we began exploring other ways of getting the results we wanted. After all there was no hard fast method. It wasn't like anyone ever did a study or wrote a book.

By the time Eric woke up that Friday. I was packed and ready to go. I was half naked trying to decide on an outfit. This closet was huge and full of clothes most of which I have never seen. It wasn't at my behest. On some level it was a necessity because of all the events. There was a woman on his staff that was responsible for shopping for us both. I hated the idea. On top of many other things I found it slightly insulting and extremely pretentious. It was so not me. I took comfort in the fact that Eric hated it more. He was a t-shirt and jeans kind of vampire. He rarely got to wear his preference these days.

Eric snuck up behind me. He wound his arms around my waist and kissed the base of my neck. "If you don't tone it down you might make me jealous" His voice was a playful growl. I smiled. Frankly I was a little excited. I missed Pam. I hadn't seen her since the night of the coronation. Not that she cared but I wish i had said good bye.

I turned and planted small kisses down his chest. I began pushing for him backwards. He moved dexterously until he hit the edge of the bed and I pushed him down.

I was on my knees and moved my kisses down his body. I was being painfully deliberate in my movements. Knowing full darn well I really didn't have the time. I helped him out of his pants. I kissed everywhere except the place I knew he was begging for me to.

"Lover" It was an urgent cry.

"What is it baby?"

"You are being cruel" I smiled against his skin.

"Beg" This wasn't going to be easy for him to do so I gave him incentive. My lips were close enough to his hardness that he could feel the warmth of my breath. He shivered.

"Please, please lover I'm hurting" He sure sounded it. His eyes were dark and they were boring into mine. I moved my lips to warp around him. He moaned just from the relief the contact brought. He seemed to be fighting. He wanted me to take him deeper but he was squirming away. The fact that I had brought this powerful being into such a state made me feel devilish. I picked up the pace and he moaned out my name mixed with curses and another language. He was close to his release and strangely I was close to mine. He threw his head back with a shout when I lightly dragged my teeth along his shaft and grazed the head of his length. He was undone and so was I. His hands were no longer tangled in my hair. They were full of the sheets. I swallowed all he gave and milked out a few extra drops. He was a quivering mass under me.

My kisses moved to his inner thigh. My finger nails dragged up and down his chest. He shuddered and held me to him.

"You are looking for trouble" I smiled and gave him a little bite on my way to his lips. I was rewarded with a delightful growl.

"Good trouble or bad trouble"

"Trouble of the worse sort" The look on his face was heated. Mine mirrored it. I wanted him in the worst way. He could feel it. He moved. No longer was I on top of him he was behind me. I was in a world of trouble that he promised and I was going to love it. He was merciless. My orgasms were running into each other. Tears escaped my eyes. He bit into me and I saw stars. If I died here and now I would be a happy woman. I was tucked into his side for an interlude of cuddling. My breathing still wasn't normal.

"Pam is going to be angry" He said. I guessed we had been at each other for some time. If my flight wasn't already gone it was close to it.

"Pam who" I murmured. He chuckled. Like always he got his act together long before I did. Once again I returned to the ridiculous closet looking for something to wear. Being in a rush helped me decide. I grabbed the closest thing. A blush colored dress sun dress. I found matching shoes then I was ready to go. Everyone else was waiting. On my trip to Arkansas for Pam's union to Isaiah I would be taking Thalia, Edgar, Ty and Rob.

Ty and Rob were twins. They were my day time guards. They were also were lions. They came recommended by Alexis and Alex the saber tooth weres from Vegas I met some time ago. They were nice but we were still getting used to each other. We were in that awkward stage of a new relationship.

Edgar was one of the many new faces to the Louisiana rooster. If at all you know a grain of American literature and poetry than you will know this Edgar. Picture him with no mustache and a low cut; that was almost militant. No one ever recognized him for the life of me I couldn't tell you why.

It turns out when you make a vampire the mood they are in when you turn them will be their predominant one. A fun fact that I found both disturbing and interesting. Makers used glamour in place of taking a human out for ice cream before they turned them. Whoever made Edgar either didn't bother or Edgar must have been in bowels of depression and this was the best they could do. He was all doom and gloom. Honestly the man could depress the devil. While Thalia wore a hostile expression all the time he looked pained and sighed for no good reason at times. He only did things for people he liked. Eric trusted him (as much he trusted a vampire he didn't make) Edgar didn't care about anything or wanted anything. It was true. He fed from everything from rodents, to Red stuff to humans it depended on his mood which from the looks of it never changed. Confused? So am I. I didn't know whether to be sad or scared around him. I felt like any day now he would be meeting the sun on his own accord. Every night I was surprised to find him miserably amongst the living dead.

The only parts of flying that ever made me anxious were taking off and landing. The minute we took off I became violently sick. While I was no fan of flying this was a first. I also didn't have a weak stomach. I was a Stackhouse it would have been an embarrassment. Thankfully first class came with the added advantage of vomit bags. The vampires were blank faced but their disgust of this human function was evident. With their heightened senses it was probably unbearable. It wasn't like I enjoyed the audience. The seat belt sign was still flashing so there was nothing I could do. The plane rose and the feeling got worse.

"We should inform the king that you are unwell" Thalia said. She wasn't concerned about me. She just didn't want to sniff vomit for the duration of our time in Arkansas. She tried as much as I imagined she could to make it sound like she wasn't telling me what to do. She and Edgar were my night guards. But she was in charge of the entourage arrangements. Eric said she would see to my needs. Between you and me if asking Thalia anything was the only way to go then I will cheerfully be going without.

"Its fine, motion sickness" Judging by the look in her face I may as well have said I had bubonic plague. She looked around for someone to explain exactly what motion sickness was. I wasn't up to it. I was dry heaving into a small bag. It required a lot of concentration. Ty told her and she nodded. When I got it out of my system I went to the restroom. The plane reached cruising altitude and I began feeling much better. The decent into Arkansas brought much of the same nausea but my stomach was empty. After brushing my teeth for the fifth time this flight we finally touched ground.

Pam's humor and wit was not something you could ever really get used to. It was unnerving mostly because she found humor in people's discomfort. Mine especially, she never gave me a break. The doors to the airplane opened. I saw her waiting with a hand full of vampires. She flashed in front of me. Her first words were so true to form that I had to laugh.

"Sookie you look terrible" it was a greeting of sorts. After an hour of vomiting I suppose I did. She wrapped her hand around me.

"I've missed you too" She laughed. Never had I been gladder to set foot on solid ground. I saw Tristan and gave him a smile and a deep nod of my head. He returned my greeting. We aren't familiar enough to be hugging each other but I liked him. And I thought he wouldn't kill if he didn't have to.

The drive to Pam's estate was lengthy. During which her and Tristan laughed at my motion sickness. I didn't share the amusement which only made Pam more delighted. The real kick for her was that I have seen corpses and didn't react like "an idiotic human" I wasn't sure what to make of that comment so I let it go. I was also much too exhausted for a suitable rebuttal.

The home we went to was her country estate. It was the scene of her wedding tomorrow night. The house was much like the country estate that Eric had in Louisiana. I haven't been since the night we fought Felipe's people. Only hers could be accurately described as a private town. I was in awe. It appeared so tranquil and quiet. In the backdrop of everything you could see small mountains. It was complete with a lake. The abode wasn't a mansion. It was an enormous bungalow. That was circular in design. It was picturesque.

We walked into the house. It gave you the feeling of being in a small cabin despite the fact that you were in over ten thousand square foot of home. Note to self Pam liked the feel of cabins. She took it upon herself to show me to my room. I heard her kindly remind Thalia that if she killed anyone here she would lose her fangs. Vampires regarded Thalia with an air of caution I can only imagine the things she had done to earn it. The people from Kentucky would be arriving at some point before dawn so Thalia went over some security arrangements with me. As we would all be sharing Pam's home. Nothing really applied because I had no intention on roaming around alone while I was here.

**Lavender lady3 Take a bow. **

**Can everyone see the trouble coming? I sure can...lol **

**Review and tell me about it...  
**


	8. The End

I have had wonderful reviews and interesting ideas and thoughts. It is time to come back to earth. That was it for the sweet stuff time to get back to nitty gritty of vampire politics and life as the telepathic wife of a vampire king (what a job). Who better to bring our heads out of the clouds than Pam…it also made my next dedication a real easy call.

This chapter belongs to **Ericsmine!** It made me smile to read your review "I can smell the angst a mile away" Follow your nose wherever it goes…

**Pam**

**The End**

**Chapter Eight**

The same night of my coronation I cleared out of Louisiana. This was my first week in Arkansas. Unfortunately I had to bring Gideon with me for the first three days of it. Eric was going away on a honeymoon of sorts and with his guard with me it would be assumed that he was as well. Ugh. Needless to say it was a trying three days. It took a lot of discipline not no hurt him when he lost his shit in Louisiana. He fed alone and as one can expect of a vampire his age he killed two humans. Not that I cared but it was an inconvenience on my evening. I ruined my gown and my hair restraining him so he wouldn't go on a rampage. Gideon was gifted and one day he would make a phenomenal immortal, the likes of which few could reckon with but he annoyed me to no end. Contrary to popular belief I was not jealous. Everything about my younger vampire brother was the polar opposite of mine. Starting from his butchered fashion deprived hair cut to his sneakers to his manner of speech it all pricked at me. I would still fight with him and defend him I just wouldn't be very enthused about it.

My rule had already been somewhat established. It was something I had been working on long before I arrived. The finances were already in order. The homes I owned were all decorated to my taste. I had also taken some players from the Louisiana regime with me. Eric offered me Thalia. She would make an excellent enforcer; old and feared but she could be described as ill-tempered on her best day. So far the only person that could muzzle her was Eric. I wanted nothing to do with her. I couldn't trust any of the people I brought any more than I could trust another vampire but at least I could count on them to keep the vampires here in line. It was temporary. Eventually my kingdom and that of my maker had to be seen as separate. It would not bode well for either of us if our world saw me as hiding behind him.

With my upcoming union with Isaiah there will be more stability. I could focus on building wealth instead of focusing entirely on protecting my borders and throne. The only true companion I had was Tristan. He was making a name for himself. It was more important for him to be feared even more so than I. In this arena he was excelling. There have been rumors and whispers that vampires have gone missing for one reason or another. He was presumed to be behind it. Of course I was in no way going to confirm or deny anything. I sanctioned half assed investigations in the matter that led far from him. They had all been coordinated preemptive strikes. The people he had taken out were proven spies and were going to be a problem. Why put off for tomorrow what you ca do today.

I had just joined the world of the living. In the corner of my day chamber was the fairy. He was wearing a smug smile. I haven't seen him since the night before Eric's wedding. Being around Sookie I was able to experience many things pertaining to femininity that I otherwise would not know. It was interesting to attend a bachelorette party. It was notable for more than one reason. I have never had the pleasure of getting more than a few chaste kisses from Amelia Broadway. That night I had her; all of her. Dermot and I both did. It was even better than I would have imagined sharing a woman with him. The little witch was limber. We wore her out rather quickly and focused on each other, she watched. It was certainly something I wanted to repeat. What I also remembered about that night was Dermot telling me to call of come to see him. Last night was the dead line he had given me; fucking pigheaded fairy.

"You should not be here" His presence had potential to be detrimental.

"Had you not wanted me here then you would have called" Yes and no. I had never agreed to the afore mentioned dead line. Calling would have given him the idea that he could make demands and that I would meet them. I was not keen on that from anyone. He walked over to me and ran his hand through my hair. I leaned into him despite myself.

"If you do not have time I will leave, I just wanted to see your face" His warm breath was falling directly on my face. He sounded strangely understanding for once instead of condescending or uninterested in my time constraints. His hands were roaming my body. It wasn't to initiate sex. It felt as though he wanted to remember my topography. He was breathing in deeply to draw in my scent. He kissed my head; the tip of my nose; my cheeks. I held his face and kissed his lips. I felt his relief, his excitement and his love. Then my phone rang. It was my personal cell and only a few people had the number. We both knew I had to answer no matter how badly I didn't want to. He sighed loudly and dropped into the nearest chair.

"Pam" It was Eric. "Sookie will be coming in my stead to your wedding" Fuck, fuck, a thousand times fuck. To him this information was not one that should be kept secret. He would not think to adhere to caution. I was about to have a very bad night. I closed my eyes. Dermot had very good hearing even for a fairy. I could hope against all hope that he didn't hear that but there was no way he hadn't.

"Very well then" I closed my phone and took my time turning around. Judging by the look on Dermot's face we had something's to talk about. I walked over to him and knelt between his legs. All the while he was silent and still, a very good vampire impersonation by the way. His eyes were boring a hole into the wall ahead of him. He was angry obviously. In fact that wasn't a proper depiction. He was livid. I wanted to smooth the frown lines from his face. Such things weren't favorable to my overall good health. Now my only hope was to keep the property devastation to a minimum.

His voice was muffled by his rage and pain. "Why didn't you tell me?" I did not look at him. I couldn't. When you didn't know what to do it was best to do nothing. In my indecisiveness that was what I chose. I knew I should have said something. I thought I had time. Then again the more time passed the less likely it was that I was going to say anything. There was no way to undo the damage my silence had done. I was afraid of losing him. Simultaneously I wanted to fulfill my duty. I hadn't even told him I was named queen. In my defense albeit a flimsy one he never asked why I was moving to Arkansas. Damage control, I wanted to salvage what I could.

"It was irrelevant. I care nothing for him" My tone was clam. I wanted him to give me a chance to explain. I wanted him to see reason. Not an easy thing no one has ever accused him of being reasonable.

"Do not lie to me" His tone was acidic. "Had it been nothing you would have told me" I saw his head turn and he was finally looking in my direction but not really at me. His voice had lost its anger and was now just full of pain. I wanted anger not this. It tore at me. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Pamela look at me" My fangs extended and I ran them into my bottom lip to keep it from trembling. I did as he asked. "This isn't about you wedding some vampire that I know you care nothing about. I certainly wouldn't have cared. I would have understood had your maker ordered it" I cut him off that wasn't it. It would have been easy to say Eric ordered the union. It would have been a lie. Lying to him would make it all worse.

"Eric didn't order this. I chose it"

He shrugged. "It was done out of necessity" He continued. I knew he was wrong in his assumption I wasn't entirely sure why. Instead I told him a different truth.

"I am queen. I do not expect you to understand. But I have duties and responsibilities" Combative and useless but the truth. I moved from in front of him to put some space between us. He would not allow the distance. He followed me. My back was leaning against the wall and he was towering over me holding my blue eyes in his. My heart was breaking. I knew it. I felt the pain pulse through me. It was something that I was entirely unfamiliar with. It left me unable to speak. But I am vampire. I am death. I knew the meaning of pain; of loss. I had caused and fully experienced both. This was nothing. It was what I was telling myself over and over again.

"In spite of what you may think I understand. You didn't try and we both know I would have preferred to hear it from your lips" He seemed to be thinking out loud. "But this isn't about any of that. You wanted to deceive me" I was shaking my head to say no but stopped as I found he was right. We both fell still and silent.

"We were fooling ourselves" This was inevitable. There was no place for him in my world. There was never really a place for him in my life. This was wrong it always has been. I steeled myself it had gone on long enough. It was time to let go of what I wanted but would never really have. Before him I had been a realist. I had let him shake that. He was turning me into a fantasist. It would get us both killed and quite possible a lot of other people. I had to let him go. "The world we were trying to create does not exist. It cannot exist; not within this one" No matter how much I wished it wasn't so. It was. It was a truth, one that I have been running from. "I am doing what is best" This was best for him, for me and for countless other vampires that were tied into the delicate alliance between three states.

Slowly pain subsided and anger became the dominant emotion on his face. I welcomed it I could deal with his anger much more than I could ever tolerate his hurt. The seconds passed and his face became colder and colder and knew my Dermot was gone. In the room with me was just a hostile fairy. That pained me more than I would have thought .

"That is sophistry" I couldn't read the expression on his face. "This was just a catalyst you had been waiting for and you manipulated it. The moment you felt something for me you began seeing us as an end; your end. I felt your uncertainty; the hesitation in your touch." His hands were bracing the wall keeping me where I was. "I am a fairy. By all rights I shouldn't want to be close to you" His voice was returned to a whisper "But here I am and every time I give myself to you it is because I trust you; it is an act of faith" I was silent. It was true for me as well. I trusted him as much as I could trust someone that was not of my blood.

"Trust requires courage. Faith requires strength. You are a coward. I doubt if you have truly loved anything or anyone in your life; living or otherwise" I flinched. His words cut deep.

"You go too far my love"

He growled it was an unadulterated noise of hostility. "Don't call me that. You did this to prove something to yourself" His voice was withdrawn and he dropped his hands.

"I love you" It was only thing I was sure of in this mess. He wasn't looking at me. He shook his head bitterly. Through the wave of strong emotions my anger was growing. He was belittling what had been between us. "You are mortal. I am vampire. Whether in thirty years or three hundred you will expire" It happened very quickly I only caught the tail end of his movement. While I was very capable of fighting him I didn't.

His right hand wrapped around my neck. He lifted me off the ground so we were eye to eye given our height difference I was a long way up. Then he ran my head into the wall behind me. My fangs ran out. I struggled to remain conscious.

It was not the time but the mural behind me had cost a lot of money. It was a mosaic image of a nude Aphrodite in a meadow atop the clouds. It was crafted from the finest marble and the colors were soft and brilliant. Now there was a crater in it the size of my head and small fissures were running from the point of impact. My blood was staining it as well. It was ruined.

Tristan was in the room his saber and his fangs were out. "Non si muovono Tristan" He was glaring at Dermot.

"Release her" Dermot ignored him I was the target of his aggression. I could see he was having trouble keeping his features in check. Even then I knew he would not end me. Given what he was feeling and his usual lack of restraint I knew he would kill my child if he pushed him if for no other reason than to cause me pain.

There was a small silver dagger to my throat. "Tristan, do not move" I repeated. His movements had not gone unnoticed by the fairy. He was creeping closer and closer whether it was the draw of the fairy blood or my safety he was going to die. The dagger was dangerously close but I did not cringe. I felt my skin crawl but he did not burn me. I kept my face empty. In my body I felt so much pain and rage. The pain I was sharing in but not the rage. I was not angry. I deserved this. Had the tables been turned I would have done worse, much worse.

"Your words are a testament that age does not afford wisdom" His eyes were boring into mine. "I could end you here and now and your expiration will precede my own. What good is your immortality then?" All of a sudden I felt like quite the dumb blonde. I closed my eyes. I had no rebuttal; no straws to cling to. I was panicked. It had nothing to do with the blade that was still at my neck. He was right again. I knew the night was out of sorts because he was never right about anything.

Being with Dermot made me happy but it made me afraid. I felt things that had been lost for so long; something's I had never felt. It made it difficult to be what I should. Marrying Isaiah was the best thing to do. I wanted to prove to myself that I could put duty before all else that I was a true vampire. When I could not kill him I stopped being that creature. I just couldn't see it. I had been lying to myself. I thought I could let him go but I couldn't. He pulled away from me and I crumbled to the floor. Now the first person I ever loved was on his way out.

"I love you" It was all I could think to say. He shook his head.

He disappeared without looking at me again. The flicker in the room was the only inclination that he had ever been. He was blocking me from feeling him. His absence was absolute.

Nothing could describe this; nothing could compare to what I felt. The look on his face was going to haunt me until the true death claimed me or the end of the world came. It was such a heavy combination of all betrayal, hurt, and anger. I knew when I pictured his face that was what I would see; pain that had been caused by me. There were no words; no parallels to be drawn. This couldn't be what humans referred to as a broken heart. No mere human would survive this. I am a creature of the super natural and it was threatening to break me.

I made no movements to right myself. I remained in the same undignified position Dermot had left me in. Tristan came to kneel in front of me he surveyed the damage to my head. He ferreted out bits of plaster and marble from my hair and body in silence.

"He's gone" I said. It was the cadaverous truth. Yes of course I was telling many truths tonight after it no longer served any purpose. "He's gone" Tristan carried me to the bed. He lay next to me and pulled me into his chest. His posture was protective and possessive to compensate for my vulnerability. Though "I told you so" would have been fitting. He said nothing. It was then I realized that there was nothing to be said. He had warned me. Eric had warned me. Dear Abby had warned me. In expecting an end full of pain that I imagined was inevitable; I created one that was very real. I had caused this. There was no one to be angry at, no one to blame, no one to hurt, it was a putrid state of being.

Tristan bit into his wrist and brought the wound to my lips. I drank from him. His blood would dilute that of the fairy faster than that of any human.

"He will come back to you." He was smoothing my hair back as he spoke. I was a realist who prepared like a pessimist. He was a realist that held some belief in optimism. The night we met he knew I was something other. It did not deter him. When I had taken too much blood I was conflicted about letting him die. He looked so much like the cousin of my best friend. The human whose name I could no longer remember. The human who inadvertently led to my end, Tristan favored him physically. It seemed like such a waste. I had only intended for my blood to heal him but I was young and over cooked him. In no way did I want to be a maker and in no way was I ready. Even then I could not stake him. That was where I learned the lesson of detachment. If I could go back and kill him I would. As it stands he is the best mistake I ever made.

Tristan held my face and kissed me. Ever so slowly he pulled off my night gown and he removed his clothes. I was looking into his dark eyes and seeing his dark hair. It was all wrong. None of that stopped my body from reacting to his touch. All the while everything in me was screaming and crying for a different pair of hands, warmer hands and a sweeter scent. Those hands wouldn't hold me again. He would never make love to me again. He was gone. I was holding back tears. Tristan's touch was gentle. His hands were intertwined with mine above my head. He held them in place as he kissed my lips; even as he teased my nipple and bit softly. He held them as he licked my bloody tears away. He pushed into me. It was slow and deep; a tender coupling. I tried to drift away and let the pain go and the pleasure in. I couldn't. The scent of the fairy was still in my day chamber. So no one of those emotions won. They warred and my entire being felt torn in two; my moans mixed with my sobs. Tristan held me tighter. He was not trying to replace what I had lost; he was not trying to make forget. Nothing could, my child was attempting to comfort me. We hadn't been lovers in so long and like me his taste had shifted predominantly to the same sex. He was doing this for me. He wanted me know he was devoted; that he too wouldn't leave me. After the forced release my sobs became uncontrollable. My frame shook. He tried to comfort me and when he couldn't he wept with me.

Life goes on; my empty undead half-life continued. Physically I had dimmed the effects of Dermot in my body. My child's blood had adulterated it to the point where not every human smelled like moldy dirt anymore. I fucked and fed more than normal; even more than necessary. I was keeping busy. There were many ventures to be pursued in my state. The Fanged rose was my pet project. It was a three story building in the most upscale part of my state. I was proud of it. Not a single thing was black or red. It was a reflection of a softer side of me. It was a classy in its décor. It was geared toward the more elite crowd. They could experience the vampire scene in a non-threatening atmosphere. The grand opening yielded quite a turn out and the future for that establishment looked bright. Another thing for the record I despised having to drape myself in black from head to toe. It was a brilliant marketing gimmick but it was an affront to my fashion sense.

I had my routine duties as queen that kept me occupied. Even the smallest of tasks that I could delegate I performed on my own. All in the interest of keeping busy it was useless. The hour before dawn I still wept. It was revolting and I was becoming the picture perfect vampire brooding and ill tempered. I wasn't sure if I wanted the fairy to come back to me. At this point the only thing I wanted to do was forget. I wanted to rid my mind of the feel and memory of his body on top of mine; his laughter; his smile; his scent. I halted those thought in their tracks. I needed to fuck something.

"I have a new favorite" Tristan announced pulling me from my musing. I was reading over a deposition for the tenth time. "He is quite the minstrel" my child continued.

"Is there something you need? I'm busy" I tried not to sound annoyed but that has been my permanent setting as of late. Working from first dark till dangerously close to dawn meant that eventually I would run out of things to do. Tristan knew this. He has been watching and waiting for this to happen. He came to look over my shoulder.

"I know that you have read that at least five times. I have read it twice" I looked at my polished desk. It was neat and lacking more distractions. I tossed the deposition to the side.

"Come with me to hear him sing" I frowned that sounded simply and utterly dreadful. I hadn't been on any outings or public appearance that weren't necessary since the fairy left me. Tristan was my personal guard. I knew if I refused he would not go. It sounded as though he very much wanted to. In no way should I care but I did. He was a good child; obedient mostly; and loyal. He has been proving essential to my rule here. There was no need for me to thoroughly depress the both of us. In lieu of sitting about and tormenting myself with the lousy assortment of humans I would humor him.

"Ready our escorts and find me something to wear" He bowed and left my office.

It was not as awful as I anticipated. I enjoyed the music and the change of scenery. Considering we were in some dive downtown. The music was a cross between classical and Celtic. Tristan had understated the voice of his pet. I wanted him to perform a few nights a week at the fanged rose.

A month had passed and my wedding was here. One thing I knew I would miss was the fast pace of Louisiana. By fast paced I meant the hell that seemed to break loose whenever Sookie was around. It was invigorating. Yes my only trusted human friend was coming for a visit. Tristan and I went personally to escort her from the airport. There was no other person that would receive this kind of reception form a royal. The statement I was making was loud and clear. As her flight descended into my state I found I missed her. Strange but true. The doors opened and I had to smile it was as if she came ready to lift my mood.

I flashed in front of her there was a smile on my face for the first time in a month. "Sookie you look terrible"

**THAT WAS HARDER THAN IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN TO POST. BELIEVE IT OR NOT IT WAS THE FIRST CHAPTER OF THIS STORY TO BE WRITTEN.  
**

**HE ANGSTY SEX WAS STRANGE, NO? I HAVE NEVER WRITTEN ANYTHING LIKE THAT BEFORE. WHAT DID YOU GUYS THINK? **

**ON ANOTHER NOTE, SOMEONE HAD A PREDICTION (I WILL NOT SAY WHO) BUT IT WAS VERY SPOT ON...A DOUBLE DOSE OF VIKING IF YOU CAN FIGURE IT OUT! IT WILL KEEP YOU ALL BUSY WHILE I WORK ON MORE CHAPTERS. LOL :)**

**Give it up one more time for Ericsmine!  
**


	9. Dying Union

Dedication for this chapter goes to…**rcherry1977**. Your reviews are awesome and so are you!

"Ok... This line made me spit out my sprite! It cracked me up! 'And let me tell you if we were not in a room full of people I would be getting naked'."

Sorry about the sprite **rcherry1977** But thanks for all your support and positive feedback ;)

**Sookie**

**Chapter Nine**

**Dying Union**

My phone had been off. The second it came to life I had a few messages from Eric:

_"Lover, are you well?"_

_"Motion sickness on the flight" _

_"I will come for you"_ He replied. I had a sneaking suspicion like Thalia he didn't know the meagerness of the condition.

_"No need. I feel much better" _

_"You are weary, rest"_ he just loved to describe to me what I was feeling and what I should be doing about it.

_"Okay"_

Pam stayed with me in my room and we talked. Strangely enough we didn't get into anything that had to do with vampire politics. I just told her how I had been adjusting and she offered me advice on the matter. I asked how she liked Arkansas. She didn't seem to have an opinion on it one way or the other. I remember the day Arlene had said some hateful things to me and I had once believed us to be friends-best friends even. Pam described to me what a true friend should be. I realized that was what she was to me.

Our conversation died but Pam was still in my room just hanging around like a piece of furniture that came with the space. I went in the bathroom and came out and she was still there. Normally I would tell her to scoot but this was weird especially for what I knew of her. Maybe she wanted to tell me something. Then again she had never been one to sugar coat or be hesitant with words. I looked at her expectantly and for the smallest fragment of time the empty face she was wearing disappeared. It was impossible to read what followed before it returned.

"Do you wish to go and see the sights?" I would have been a fool to think that wasn't a last minute save on her part. I don't give a shit how familiar Pam and I ever became she would never volunteer to be a tour guide. Something was up with her. If I could read her mind I would gotten an ear full.

"Not really" Sightseeing in the night time without super senses was pretty worthless. After my flight that was the last thing I wanted. I could go during the day tomorrow. She would have known that.

"I'm hungry" If there was any human food here she might be able to point me in the right direction. Finding food in a vampire home was as big a miracle as turning water to wine.

Pam smiled and clapped her hands together. It was very girly, vampire weirdness indeed "You will come to the fanged rose" I was confused and she explained. Leave it to vampires to come up with puns. It was a restaurant and lounge. The Fanged Rose was located in a very busy part of town. From the front of it appeared to be no more than a hole in the wall. With a lot of activity outside it. Some people were getting turned away others had been waiting over an hour. Once you got inside the contradiction was breath taking. Most vampire establishment geared towards the comingling of their kind and humans were seedy at best; black and red leather and lace. This place was very classy; nothing like Fangtasia. There were several chandeliers that hung from the ceilings. Draped elegantly under them were beautiful sheer curtains. The effect made the lighting soft but not too dim. The walls were light colors. That was just the first floor that was supposed to be rented out for functions and events.

The lounge was a sexier version of the function hall down stairs. The walls were red; sultry and smoldering in shade not blood like. The lighting was darker. Overall the entire place was very fancy and top of the line. It was geared towards people with money that wanted to experience the vampire scene safely. Not that there was such a thing. Pam mingled with important humans. The mayor as well as a senator was present. As usual I was getting a fair amount of attention for being a human amongst vampires. It was easy to ignore until Pam introduced me as the queen of Louisiana. That tittle was going to get a lot of getting used to.

The top floor was the restaurant. They offered everything from steaks to seafood. I ate. Surprisingly the food was good. Though I was so starved I wouldn't have noticed if I was eating paper. When Pam introduced me to her restaurant manager I dipped into his head to get a feel for the type of person he was. She didn't ask I just did. It was obvious why she didn't bother to have him screened. He was scared of her. Not so much her but Tristan. I could relate. Tristan was witty in a Pam kind of way. Their humor was similar in that it was sarcastic and lewd at times. However he was never at ease unless they were indoors. He could do his satellite thing without all the interference. That fact showed. He glowered and looked ready to rip your head off for looking at Pam sideways. The manager was not oblivious to this. It kept him very straight laced. Pam also had two other vampires with her whose names she didn't bother to tell me. I didn't bother to ask. Add the fact that tonight Thalia was here in all her tiny fury and Edgar looked like he could burst into tears. This poor man was crowded in a wide assortment of vampires. Overall the outing was nice. I wasn't sure what I was expecting when I heard of vampire restaurant. Seeing how most of them couldn't stand human food.

Pam was done gracing the scene with her presence as she eloquently put it. She and I walked behind five other vampires as we made our way out. Tristan led us out of the building through the kitchen. He had his hand on the door to push it open. Many things happened in the span of one heartbeat. First a noise escaped my lips. It came from the pit of my stomach. If I was a cat my hackles would have been on end. The noise was a hiss that resembled the swarm of angry bees. Never in all my life would I have thought myself capable of making such a sound. My blood was boiling and my skin was crawling all at the same time. Nothing good would happen if we went out this door. I was as sure of that as I was my own name.

"No" My hand was outstretched. It was pointless because observing my bizarre behavior all the vampires had stopped. They were looking at me with the same expression. They were obviously expecting an explanation of some sort. Problem was I wasn't sure I had one. My heart was pounding in my chest. My palms were sweaty. I was thoroughly freaked out. There was no way to explain what was going on with me but I felt something and heard it with my other hearing. I cast my mental net as far as it would go but all I got was a noise like running water. It didn't provide me with a count of people. All I knew was I had never come across this type of supe before.

I hadn't realized I had a hold on Pam's arm until Tristan cam to pull her behind his back. His gesture was very touching but I really didn't think she needed it. She was older and I have seen her fight and she managed just fine. Thalia and Edgar mirrored his posturing. Except Thalia had pulled out two daggers out of nowhere she handed them to Edgar and fetched two more. The Arkansas vampires were on their own in terms of arms unless Thalia brought enough for everyone. With her tiny figure I had no idea how she managed to conceal them. Idly I wondered what else she was hiding. Then just as quickly I decided I didn't want to know.

Apparently not one to be shown up Tristan unbuttoned his suit jacket and exposed a black holster. It held two very large hand guns. His companions handed him silencers. You just had to love the preparedness of vampires.

"What is it?" Tristan sounded angry and impatient at the need to ask. All the vampires were in aggressive stances. They were still waiting on an explanation.

"I don't know" The mental signature was still very present but no matter how hard I tried to focus mentally I couldn't get a barest hint of their numbers. This fact only served to unnerve me further. Edgar had one of those ever silent and ever annoying silent conversations with Pam. She nodded at one of her other guards. He came to stand in front of me as Edgar was taking a step towards the door. I saw the game plan. He obviously didn't care about the final death so he was volunteering to scout. This was a very logical plan except I was not okay with it.

"Edgar" I called he turned and nodded.

"Your majesty"

I had a speech about how he should live and regale the world with his literary talents; been writing said speech since the day I met him. Right now was not the time for it. "You will not go out that door" He bowed "Our lot is going back inside for a bit" The panic I was feeling put more command in my voice than I ever would have used when speaking to anyone, vampire especially. Pam's beautiful face resemble a deer caught in head lights. On any other day I would have died laughing but I was worried about dying in a real and serious way at the moment. I didn't wait for him to respond I turned and walked away the way we came.

Frankly I wanted this feeling to go away and going in the opposite direction sounded like the way to accomplish that. There were no footsteps behind me but I knew the vampires were following. There was a mass of power and aggression gliding silently behind me.

o0o0o0

We were on the highway on the way back to Pam's home. Fortunately due to the vampire total disregard for speed limits and traffic law we arrived fairly quickly. For an hour we had lagged at the lounge and left with a crowd. We also took the main exit.

"What exactly did you hear?" Pam asked.

"Water" She gave me a blank stare that somehow questioned my sanity. I tried to explain it to her better.

"Supes that I've come across so far all sound different. Vampires register like loud empty spaces. I can't hear you but I can count you and account for your presence" she nodded for me to continue. She already knew some of this stuff. "Same for daemons, and fairies though the signature is different. All I heard was water I couldn't get a count or distinguish any of the minds. I just knew they were there" I plopped on my bed feeling suddenly off balance. What was going on with me?

"I think someone is playing with the limitations of your ability and our senses" I looked up. "We sent out a search party. The only scent they could pick up was fresh water. There isn't a natural body of water for at least a hundred clicks of the restaurant" I left better that I wasn't the only one. The relief only last a second because someone was intentionally doing this. Perfect.

"Eric has been informed. I need to make sure Isaiah and his people arrive safely" She disappeared from the room and I got changed and ready for bed. Eric had explained to me the importance of this union. If there was anyone that didn't want it to happen it would be another vampire king or queen. I really didn't want to be here anymore. A bunch of vampires in one room just didn't sound like a good place to be. I just had to last one night. The minute the ink dried I would be on my way back home.

Almost, I was almost asleep. There was a soft nudging on my side. "It is I Tristan" Well come on in why dontcha. He was sitting on the edge of my bed. "Sorry to wake you" He was whispering. I was too tired to sit up so I rolled over to face him. This was weird. I wasn't this familiar with him. "I came to apologize for speaking to you rashly earlier" I waved him away. Right now I was more annoyed that he was disrupting my rest. "Pam will not ask but will you stay here a few days with us" I arched an eyebrow.

"Why?" He looked away.

"She has been…not herself and having you here pleases her" I didn't know what to say. First of all that statement was just shy of being insulting but I understood what he meant. That explained some of her earlier behavior. I wanted to ask what was wrong with her but I knew vampires. If they wanted to tell you something they did. Sometimes they did so no matter how badly you didn't wan to know.

"Okay" had it been anyone else I would have said no because I still very much wanted to get away from here. He patted my arm awkwardly in thanks and ghosted out of the room. I shook my head. Vampire weirdness, I tell you there was a lot of it going on around here. I went back to sleep.

The next day when I woke up I was on my own to find food. Outside my door Ty and Rob were waiting.

"Good morning Sookie" I smiled and greeted them back. Ty was about to go into what he called daily protocol. Basically it was a rundown of all the things I probably shouldn't be doing that day. At home it only included staying out of certain neighborhoods and the like. "Thalia has set some security provisions for today" I frowned of course she has. "She advised that we remain on grounds during the day" There was more than enough room for me to stretch my legs around here but I didn't like not having the option to go into town if I wanted. I conceded with grace. It was probably a good idea.

They led me to the kitchen. The house was circular in design. It left a wide open area in the middle that could mildly described as a meadow. It was the kind of thing you saw on post cards and pictures of faraway exotic islands. It was the depiction of serenity. It was complete with a marquee that was carved from red wood. Pink rose vines were climbing up the sides. There were matching benches to the marquee throughout. A stone path helped you to navigate through the garden. There was a pond that held interesting looking fish. Everywhere you looked there were flowers of every color and height. Some of which I didn't know you could grow in this part of the world. Pam had them. As we walked I never lost sight of it the walls facing it were all glass. I decided to spend my day out there. It would have been a shame not to.

The kitchen had been stocked with food. I made us a big batch of scrambled eggs with bacon and toast. Doing small things like this for myself felt normal. At first they resisted me on eating but it went against my upbringing and made me uncomfortable to just eat and have them watch. From my place in the kitchen I could see men outside. After I cleaned up I found a book and comfortable chair and waited for dark.

o0o0o

It was a confusing thing to go from a completely silent house to a house full of silent creatures moving about. When Thalia and Edgar came for me Ty and Rob were off for the night and they headed out. Thalia looked like it killed her but she made an attempt to look presentable. It was still all black but it wasn't a t-shirt. Edgar was...Edgar. I got dressed and we made our way into the garden I had spent my day in. Nothing had been added to the scenery. The first vampire weeding I attended was at Rhodes. This was much smaller. Both parties were present as well as a witness from a third party (yours truly) and the emcee. He was waiting with a dagger and robe similar to the one Eric used to wed Bertrand and Russell.

Isaiah came out with his people and Pam came out with hers. While she stood there looking stunning in a lilac chiffon number that would shame any model I thought of my uncle. I wondered what he thought of all this. We never talked about he and Pam, thank God. I just wondered if this bothered him even a little. It probably didn't. He seemed to have the same liberal views on sex as vampires.

I sat and watched the ceremony. The wedding contracts were signed. Then Pam's wrist was cut and the wound was held over a chalice until it closed. The same was done to Isaiah. They drank from the cup and that was it. She was stuck with him for the next century. He kissed Pam more eagerly than she obliged. Low applause's traveled through the night.

They went around hand in hand greeting guests. Isaiah was showing off his wife not so much his wife but the power she came with. I heard it again and I felt it. The same upheaval in my fight or flight mechanism, it felt like death was at my heel. The newlyweds were almost at my table when the blast hit. "Get down" They all hesitated a moment too long except the people who had fought with me before. Regrettably Isaiah had a hold on Pam preventing her from complying. Tristan was in front of her ready to take whatever hit was coming. I shot up and without thinking I threw myself at Isaiah. I knocked him to the floor and because he hadn't released Pam we all went down; he, Pam, Tristan and I. Thalia and Edgar followed and had thrown themselves over me. It was a vampire sandwich with me in the middle. That is as unappealing as it sounds.

The pressure waves from the explosion pushed my hearing to its limits. If I screamed I didn't hear it. I blinked and saw shattered glass, fighting and fire but I heard nothing. It was like watching life with the mute button on. My sight was compromised as smoke rose. It was a thick fog and rose too quickly and too precisely to be a natural reaction from the explosion. It smelled like burnt sugar. Someone was trying to make the vampires blind and distort their sense of smell. I felt cold hands around my waist. They were lifting me off Isaiah I clung to him not to say it would have done much good.

"It is Edgar" He lifted me and passed me to someone smaller. I guessed Thalia. There were bits of flames that made the fog less oppressive. I blinked and tried to see. Vampires of Arkansas and Kentucky were scrambling to form a make shift front line in front of their king and queen. Thalia pushed me behind the front line and joined ranks with them. I was on my hands and knees trying to get my bearings. I saw two vampires in front of me fall to the ground. Thalia was fighting and Tristan was wounded. I closed my eyes and focused. My shields came easier now. In my body I felt my spark burst into flames. I felt stronger much stronger.

There was an edge to my ability, it was sharper, and more ferocious. "Get back" Isaiah did as I asked. I got to my feet. My sword was at home in the back of the closet. I focused on calling it to my hands as more vampires fell before my eyes. I shielded Thalia there was a vampire perched on her back and another was taking swings at her head. I didn't join the fight I focused on shielding all our vampires.

Pam was not one to be left out of a good fight. She, Isaiah and I were standing with our backs to each other. Outside our smaller circle our guards fought. Someone had brought a gun to a knife fight, that someone was Tristan. He was directly in front of Pam. He was a very good shot. Obviously it wasn't enough to end a vampire. The person next to him would finish the kill. It was very effective. I didn't know how many people attacked us but there weren't anymore. Suddenly as it came the mist disappeared. When I dropped my shields I was drained. I was sweating and light headed. Had I not been full of adrenaline I would have fainted but it was so not the time.

Thalia was lying on in a charred patch of what was once a beautiful bed of flowers. Edgar was in worse shape. In the time it took me to get my shields in place they had been badly wounded. They were the lucky ones. I went over to the place the refreshments had been. I found several bottles of blood that survived the battle.

"I'm going to touch you. Is that okay" His fangs were fully extended and he was hissing and snarling involuntarily because of the pain. He gave a jerky head movement that I took as a yes. I tore my dress at the slit to get as much fabric as I could without exposing myself. I used it to tie his arm to the rest of him. It was hanging onto his body by a chuck of skin an inch thick. If it stayed on it would save him the pain of having to regrow it completely. I opened the bottle and propped his head on my lap. I emptied the contents into his mouth. I worked quickly. It took three bottles for him to retract his fangs. Then it took two more for him to even begin healing.

I went to Thalia. If I didn't shield her she would have been finally dead. On the regular she was frightening enough right now the effect was doubled even as wounded as she was. She was missing her left ear and that part of her cheek had been cleaved clean off. I hated to think of how deep the cut had been five minutes ago.

"Can I touch you?"

"Fine" She didn't sound happy about it. That made two of us. While I fed her I took a good look around. It was pure carnage. Scenes like this made me as angry as it made me sad. Less than an hour ago this meadow looked like something out of a story book. Now limbs, bloody remains and ash soiled it. There were still small fires that managed to remain going throughout.

"We are going to the Carson Hotel" Pam was looking at me literally bottle feeding Thalia. Her expression was bemused.

"Can you move?" Thalia looked like she was doing a math problem.

"My spine has not righted" She said it as if it was just a bother rather than a real problem.

"Leave her we will take my escorts" I told myself Pam was being matter-of-fact and not cold though right now it was mighty hard to tell the difference.

"It's okay Pam you go on ahead. We'll catch up" The chances of our attackers coming back were slim and Thalia would heal soon enough.

"You are incorrigible" It sounded like the worst of insults.

"Dido" She knelt beside me. While Pam waited quietly Tristan was in full orbit around her. He was shooting Thalia a look that said, "Hurry the hell up" I was sure he would kill her just to get Pam away from here faster.

Ten minutes later there was a convoy of vehicles leaving Pam's house. Each and every one of us was dirt covered and blood stained and in varying stages of disrepair. Kentucky loaded their wounded and left ahead of us. Pam and her people took up three mid-sized sedans. They lent us two of theirs. None of us could drive. I looked at my hands they were crusted with drying blood. It was a mixture of Thalia's and Edgar's. I felt like it was parabolic of the killer my immersion into the supe world had turned me into.

I felt like the smell of death was clinging to me. What I wore now was the tattered remains of a chocolate colored dress. It had been pretty. It had a asymmetrical neck line and was floor length. There had been a wide slit that started at the thigh but was obscured with lace. We trolled in through a back entrance of the hotel. Not a one of us had a single bag. I had to get out of these clothes. I had to get clean. I didn't care if I was naked after. The shower I took had to be the longest in history. After I had scrubbed I sat and just let the water hit me. I knew it wasn't the end of all this. We had to figure who attacked us and why.

**Hey _rcherry1977_ on a totally random side note your screen name makes me think of that song by poison. "She's my cherry Pie" I love that song! If you have never heard it check it out!  
**

**Enough of my weirdo, semi creepy behavior... (LMAO). **

**Any thoughts? Feelings? Let me know. **

**Next up will be the viking depending on how many reviews I get he may rear his head a lot sooner...**


	10. Testing the ties

This chapter was done with **KYSun** in mind. For all the excitement and interest and the time you take to leave me loads of encouragement. THANK YOU!

This chapter is for you but I hope you won't mind if we all enjoy!

**Eric**

**Chapter Ten**

**Testing The Ties**

I watched Sookie's retreating figure until it disappeared into the plane. The fact that I just had her not even two hours ago did not keep me from aching already. I had an insurmountable amount of lust for her. Lately it seemed she was the worse of the two. We had been exchanging blood so much during sex she smells strongly of me. So much so she may be able to pass for a vampire herself. Her scent in relation to my own was that of a child's child. Only in close proximity could that assumption be corrected. It was a compliment of sorts to me. My scent on her would be of significance to the vampires she would come into contact with. It was a good thing our bond has been so strongly reinforced. The distance should not have any more effect on either of us. The last time the distance between us stretched over states the effects were disrupting. It required a medium in the form of Pam for us to be able to function while apart. She would be fine.

"We should have sent more people with her" Gideon observed. I nodded. Sookie going alone was making a statement. It spoke for our alliance as well as the balance of power between us. We would be viewed as one in the she been going into any other territory other than a sister state of ours her arrangements would have differed greatly. The first point being that she would not have gone without me. Our associates would have been in larger numbers. Her trip also gave her a much needed recess from her duties and Gideon. He tested her patience and as of late she did not have much of it. Her moods had been fleeting. I was confident nothing would arise that Thalia and Edgar could not handle. In the unlikely event that it did Pam would be of assistance in any way she could.

He made a face that indicated that was all the more reason to send in the cavalry. "You know she all but tortured me while I was there" I smiled and rolled my eyes. He was exaggerating.

For our honeymoon Sookie and I went to the mountains of Alaska. It was a place where I did not have to run the risk of being identified by other vampires. I spent many hours with her. The nights were longer. While we were there Gideon was in Arkansas under the charge of Pam. She imposed a curfew, a meal of strictly synthetic blood and forbade him to have sex. This wasn't so much a safety measure as it was retaliation for her coronation gown that he destroyed. Pam was going to hold a grudge about that for a few decades. In return he tormented her with his incessant complaints about her "Gayass decor". Needless to say he was not welcome back in her state nor was he eager to return. A time would come when the Americas would not be enough for these two.

We were exiting the terminal. As we walked we drew attention form the humans. My face has been publicized as the new king of Louisiana. I was even now familiar to the lowliest human because I was pushing my image as ushering in a new era of vampire and human living in harmony. We were almost at the exit when a group of young women began to prattle and point. They would benefit from a lesson in subtlety especially if they were going to gawk like idiots.

"Oh my gosh. It's him!" One of them gushed. I pretended not to notice. They felt safe enough in a crowded place to approach us. "Can I have your autograph?" Her expression was a mixture of delight and apprehension. She held out her plane ticket and a pen. You just couldn't escape enthralling the vermin for too long. This was something I occasionally dealt with in Fangtasia. Being king meant I was hassled more frequently and in more places. She regarded Gideon and cowered.

"Shouldn't you be doing something about this?" I whispered to Gideon. He shrugged his shoulders lightly.

"Remember you need to play nice to win the popularity contest" I waved them forward and held out my hand. This was a good a time as any to help my human relations.

"Who am I making this out to?" I gave her an alluring smile. She blushed profusely.

"Um…Janie" her tone was bemused. Her friends came closer now that it was certain they would not die.

"Can I take a picture" One of them asked in a small voice. "Please" I smiled through the boredom and waved all of them forward. I draped my arms over them and Gideon took the picture. How I missed the good old days when we would let them take it and smash the camera right after.

I was able to see the plane Sookie was on takeoff. In the same instant I felt her become sick. It was strange because she was not fainted hearted. She has seen things that would make strong men squeal. There was no pain or any other sign of distress to indicate something was wrong. I did not understand it. I called her phone but it was off so was that of all the people she had taken with her. I was strangely anxious. My blood should keep her feeling more than healthy. She should be vigorous. Nothing could explain why she was feeling unwell. I left her messages. I also left a message for Pam to watch her. Knowing Sookie she would downplay whatever was wrong with her.

Gideon and I had a meeting with Sid Mat Lancaster. He was the same individual that represented Sophie-Anne when she was accused of murdering her husband. I went through a lot of trouble in tracking him down. It required the aid of a witch as well as the niece of Mr. Cataliades. He was found in Seychelles a small country off the eastern coast of Africa. It was no surprise that he was found exploiting and abusing the natives. There was little to no humanity left in him no vampire would turn him. He was that far gone there was no telling what kind of monster he would be. He was much too depraved even for our standards. All that withstanding he was an excellent lawyer. He would be helping me prepare my testimony and repeal petitions. There were still some accusations I had to answer for. Nothing was crucial if anything it was a waste of my time and money but it was necessary.

"I want to go out after the meeting" Gideon said. All this was still rather new to him. Being made vampire in this age altered the experience greatly. He was eager to redo all the things he had done through these eyes. He could do so out in the open without fear of recognition. It was all monotonous to me now. I have seen and done everything a thousand times in a thousand lifetimes. But he was my guard where I went he went. I was perfectly able to fight or flee danger if the need arose but he would not go anywhere without me.

"Where?" He thought about it. He did not get a chance to answer. We were on the highway when I received a call from Compton. In that part of the state he was my eyes and ears not only in the supernatural community but the human society as well. Being king of the state as well as sheriff of this area meant sometimes I attended to the mundane.

"The bar of the shifter has been burned" That was not only uninteresting it was something that was not my concern. "So was his house. He claims it was a vampire" My eyes narrowed. No vampire would dare. Having a personal vendetta against a were was one thing. It was something you handled discreetly otherwise you ran the risk of sending the entire two natured community in an uproar. While most vampires were stronger than they were they had numbers and the sun on their side. There was a code of behavior between our kind and theirs. This was a violation of it. In these times both species had to toe the line and refrain from calling negative attention to themselves. As sheriff it was my duty to find and punish this vampire to their satisfaction.

"I'm on my way" I hung up and made a call to Heidi. She was not an original member of the Louisiana regime. She was an excellent tracker that was in my employ. Thankfully her son had died of his addiction to human opiates. She was now a much more reliable and one minded vampire. The only unpleasant change to her character was that now she favored Thalia on disposition. She was ill-tempered and ill-mannered and most of the time she wondered aimlessly through the state brooding and pining over her loss. I did not understand it. That child was lost to her the night she was made vampire. Not leaving him to his life endangered them both. Like Thalia she was more tolerable when she was left alone. I obliged her unless I required her services.

"Meet me in Bon temps at the shifter's bar" I hung up. Gideon had already set a course for our new destination. He was frowning. This was not the sort of outing he had in mind. If he got his hands on this vampire there would be hell to pay for ruining his plans for the night. Although finding a good fight in this may assuage some of his disappointment.

"What do you think?" Gideon had a military mind set. He was able to calculate and discern objectives and threats in any situation. I also needed to train him to see things from a vampire aspect. The two were similar in tactics but the motivations and end goals differed but not greatly; wealth; territory; power.

"It depends. This shifter is he the type to get in bed with the wrong people?" I shook my head. While I knew nothing of him personally Sookie had worked for him for several years and she cares for him. If he were ever into anything questionable she would have known and she would not have abide by it. He was quiet thinking it over. "I think it might be personal anything other than that wouldn't make a whole lot of sense. If you would do something like that the first thing you would do is leave no eyewitnesses; otherwise you would have three sets of people gunning for your head. If the bar was empty I would say it was a warning, if not I would say a rouge is kicking up dirt and wanted it known that he was a vampire" I favored his last theory. The vampires of this state did not want trouble and that was all this was.

A half hour later I was at the scene of the incident. The sight was clearing. The fire had been long extinguished and the building lay in blackened ruin. It wasn't a fire. Someone had used something shy of a grenade. The damages were extensive there was nothing that could be salvaged. Any scent that could have been identified by any of us was lost in all the smoke. In the woods that surrounded the establishment I saw several members of the long tooth pack. They were invincible to the humans. Their presence here was curious. Sam did not belong to their pack. Last I checked he was unaffiliated.

All this I observed from the comfort of my car. Sookie was responding to my text finally.

_"Motion sickness on the flight" _

_"I will come for you"_ I wanted her close to me. Whatever ailed her was stronger than my blood.

_"No need. I feel much better"_I was confused_. _

"Gideon what is motion sickness?" He laughed before he answered.

"Moving crafts; air planes, boats and cars offsets peoples balance and they become nauseous" I laughed. Such a little thing had someone as strong as she sick. I knew that Pam was most certainly tormenting her about it.

_"You are weary, rest"_

_"Okay"_

I waited for Heidi to arrive. For someone who has been a part of human military in recent years my child had a fondness for was a holster that crossed behind his back and went around his shoulders it held a wide assortment of knives. The kill was more intimate and respectful he explained. I understood his meaning and shared the same sentiment.

I would say he was more eager for a fight than one was to find him. "Perhaps tonight will be your night" He grinned as he pulled on his jacket.

"If not here then definitely with the lawyer" I did not fully understand what he meant.

"All lawyers are reputed vermin" I asked. I thought it was just a trait unique to Lancaster. He laughed.

"Exactly"

Bill was speaking with the local lawmen and Heidi was pulling up in her car. Her glower was ever present. She made rounds between the burnt home and bar. From the shadows the wolves came forward. She barely had time to dodge before the wolf closets to her lunged. Bill was at her side and so were Gideon and I. Stupid mutts, if Heidi was the one that did this would she come back to the scene of the crime? This was exactly the kind of thing we wanted to avoid. Werewolves and the like were not very analytic in their thinking. They had a pack mentality. A brawl here and now would solve nothing. Not to mention humans were present.

Collective growls ripped through the night from the wolves in front of us. They were answered with the clicking of fangs and snarls from all vampires except myself. There were two vampires present that were looking for a fight. Total there were six of them and they were no match for us. Our confrontation was not going unnoticed by the humans that were lingering. Some were remaining law enforcement others were humans that came to pry about things that was not their concern.

"Enough" Their pack master was absent. They would not attack me without a direct order. An auburn colored wolf shifted into his human form.

"You deaders did this" He looked at all of us. What do I care about burning down this hovel? It was no longer of consequence to me. Sookie no longer worked here. I did however consider the act many times while she toiled her time away in the employ of the shifter.

The dimwitted detective that I have come across too many times wadded his way to us. The vampires were statues with blank faces. The wolves were visibly agitated but maintaining.

"I'm detective Belfleur" He made a point to stand tall and show the badge on his chest. Imbecile, unless it was silver it would do him no good if we decided to fight. "Is there a problem here?" Simply walking away would do more harm than good. I hated to dignify his question with a response it would further acknowledge his existence.

"No, we merely came to see how we could be of assistance" I waved my hand to the side where the bar had once stood in all its shabby glory. He looked to the weres for confirmation and the one in his human form nodded.

"While you are here I have some questions for you" This was the limit of my patience.

"Gideon" He produced a card and extended it to the human. It held the name and contact information of my attorney usual. "You will go through him" I looked to the wolves.

"Have Alcide contact me" I walked away and the vampires with me followed.

"What do you know so far?" I asked Bill."One of their pack members was with Sam. She didn't survive. Sam was positive he saw a vampire but I couldn't catch a trail coming or going in any direction" That explained the presence and hostility of the pack. It completely complicated matters. I nodded at Heidi she disappeared into the woods that surrounded the bar. We waited for her to return. It took her longer than I thought it would especially because she came back with nothing.

"There is only a single trail and it is very faint. It goes east then it just vanishes" That was curious. Perhaps the quarry flew. "I think it is vampire" I was confused. We may not recognize the owner but vampire blood was unmistakable if it was present especially to another of our kind. No matter how faint the scent.

"Explain yourself"

"It smells like a vampire but not entirely" Her glower had shifted minutely and she appeared perplexed.

"A human or another creature with a lot of vampire blood" Bill suggested.

"No" She shook her head to emphasize. "The prints are very light in the ground like vampire"

"An accomplice?" Gideon said. Again Heidi shook her head.

"There is only one trail. No bends or breaks in the tree tops to indicate flight. It begins from the same point and leads this way" She gestured behind her back toward the woods, then to the bar and back again. "It retreats and disappears at almost the same point it began" My guess was the involvement of witches. Though none had been reported in the area. Also the smell of magic is palpable to creatures that had their root in it. It was absent here. There was no sense to make of this.

"Continue searching there has to be something" She nodded and left.

"Find out what you can from the humans in the vicinity" Bill nodded and he too disappeared into the night.

Once again we set out for Shreveport to meet with the lawyer. This detour had made us late but I knew he would wait. Not only was I paying him I was also blackmailing him. If all that he did for me was not flawless I would hand deliver him to the highest bidder. For someone who had lived less than half a century he had many enemies and was guilty of many crimes. We never made it. I was gripped with a feeling that could only be described as a complex mixture of hostility, fear and anger. I have never felt anything like this coming from her before. I tried to focus on a dominant emotion. There was no one emotion it remained the jumbled mass of emotions. This was much more than her losing her temper again. It seemed Sookie was taking previsions for an impending fight. But she was confused and apprehensive about it. Something has shaken her severely. There was not enough time to make preparation to leave and still make it to Arkansas tonight.

I could feel she was not wounded or as panicked as she had been a moment ago. The fact that she hadn't disappeared from our bond told me she was not feeling physically threatened. It confused me further. I was dialing her phone. I got no response. Pam, Thalia, Tristan none of them answered. "Shit" I tried to remain calm for her sake.

"Indira lock down the compound. Call around and see who's free" He was securing the fort and planning our departure. I was sitting still with my phone gripped in my hand.

"Eric, she's smart and tough she'll be fine. If she wasn't we would know" He was being reasonable because I was beyond it. He was young and was very still unable to tune out my emotions completely. The exact cause of my worry was unbeknownst to him at times. But he was astute enough to know it occurred whenever Sookie was not within arms reach.

Anthony's warning was never far from my mind. All that he would say was that there would come a time when leaving her would be the only choice I have. He did not say when or how or in what context. The only explanation I could come up with was that she would die and I would have to let her. I may be clinging onto senselessness but I still hoped Sookie would change her mind on immortality.

Anthony's visions were clearer now. They have gained much range in taking the blood of his father. Even then he hadn't given me a way to circumvent what he saw. He said he couldn't it would be harmful to us both. It left me wondering why he said anything to begin with. It was easy to say I was angry with him for his obscurity but in truth I was afraid. Parting with her was something I did not want to face. I couldn't but yet it was so inevitable. It took a lot of discipline to allow Sookie to go anywhere or to do anything without me. I knew doing that would make her feel like a prisoner. Given the choice I also knew she would prefer her freedom no matter the risks. So I let her be. In this moment I was regretting it. Something felt wrong.

My phone lit in my hand. It was Pam. "Where is she? What happened?" Tension leaked into my voice as I struggled to remain calm.

Pam hated being barraged with questions in this manner. She answered me anyway. "We were almost out the door at the restaurant when she hissed"

I furrowed my brow. "How do you mean?"

"Like an angry kitten" Pam was amused. "She heard something that alarmed her but she could not identify it for us. She refused to leave until whatever she heard passed. There is a search party about the area. I will let her know what they find. She is more put out than anything else" I could feel as much. I wanted to speak to her but I did not want to hear the reassurances that she would offer. I was going to Arkansas.

o0o0o0o

The preparations had been made the night before. I was traveling light and fast. Alana and Maxwell would be accompanying Gideon and I. Our trip began last night. We rested at a safe house. We had just entered Pam's territory when I felt Panic flare through my body. All that shared my blood with the exception of Gideon was in danger. I felt it all at once. It was too much to contain. I mashed on the brake the car fish tailed and almost spiraled out of my control. I clenched the wheel. Alana and Maxwell were blocking the other two lanes of the highway.

I couldn't think. Someone was wounded. It felt like Tristan. The feeling disappeared from my body along with Sookie, Pam and Tristan. I knew they were in the middle of a fight.

"Stay the course" I exited the car and took to the air. It was faster and it provided me with the added advantage of seeing without being seen. I pushed my body as fast as it would go.

Pam was supposed to be in her house in the mountains. It was the setting of her union. I smelled death. There was another scent in the air. It was heavy and I could not identify it. The garage had emptied of most of the vehicles. There were no inhabitants in the home. I orbited form above. In a garden that centered the house I could see piles of ashes that were redolent of a vampire being sent to his final death. There was nothing I could at the moment. I could not track any of the people I desired. I waited for Gideon and the others to arrive. Anxiety was consuming me. In my head I knew if Sookie was well then so were Pam and Tristan she would not let harm to befall them and they would protect her.

Slowly I began to feel them again. I could follow Pam easiest. They had taken refuge in a hotel in a busy section of town. I knocked on Pam's window. She had just washed the smell of the fight off her body.

"Next room over" She pointed to the left.

A guard in front of Sookie's room opened the door for me. I found her seated on the floor of shower stall. She was just letting the water beat her tiny frame. I could not feel her as clearly as I normally could. But I knew this look. For me it was just the way of the world. For her great acts of violence that were unprovoked resonated with her more than they should. It saddened her deeply. I turned off the water and wrapped her in a towel. We did not speak as I toweled her hair and body dry. I knew none of them had had time to receive the necessary items they needed. I gave her my shirt and lay with her in bed. I held her to me tightly, gently stroking her hair; her back; her face. It felt like nothing was right anywhere else if I wasn't with her.

o0o0o

**A round of applause for KYSun...**

**Okay...I want you guys to know that some of you I wont say who have bright futures as detectives. I got ton's of brilliant ideas and speculation as to what the heck is going on. Some will be answered in the nest update and others will take their time in to unfold. **


	11. There are no words

It's time to shed just a little bit of light on what is going on.

This chapter goes out to the one, the only… _Siberian Shewolf. _I love your reviews! They are insightful and fun to read!

**Sookie**

**Chapter Eleven**

**There Are No Words**

I was tired of death in all its facets; having to kill and having to watch all manner of creatures die in my presence. In a sense it got easier. Not entirely because at end of the day it all felt so senseless and ugly but most of all it was exhausting.

Eric just held me as I wallowed in the glumness that followed events like these. The only piece of clothing I had was the shirt off his back. He knew I didn't want reassurances or rationalizations. I just wanted to feel his body wrapped protectively around mine. He got me he always has. Before we shared blood before the bond was made; he just got me and though I did not think it would happen I fell asleep.

When I woke it was to a cool hand brushing my hair from my face. I leaned into it. I was feeling clingy and it was very unlike me. He felt it. He leaned forward and kissed my head. "I have you. You are safe" My eyes were still closed as I moved and found his lap and rested my head on it. He was rubbing my back gently "I know you are weary but you must wake" The less mature side of me wanted to throw a pillow over my head. I knew exactly why I was being dragged from my feelings of safety and security. He needed the details of what happened. There were vampires that were present at the scene. With their super senses they could probably account for more than I ever could. Most importantly those vampires were awake. He didn't give me chance to comply. He sat up slowly and took me with him. I fought the urge to whine. I could hardly say I didn't have clothes because I saw a few selections across the back of a chair.

"Are you okay" Gideon glided next to Eric once the door opened. It was hard to believe he hadn't been there all along. I nodded and even added a weak smile. We walked and joined Pam and Tristan as they were exiting their room. Tristan had been wounded during the fight. There were no signs of damages on him now. It made me think of Edgar. Last I saw him he was half stumbling into the hotel with the unwilling aide of Thalia.

"Do you know what room Edgar is in" That question was open to anyone who knew the answer and felt like volunteering. From Tristan I got a look that said he didn't know or care. From Pam I got an expression that was both dismal and amused. Nothing I did made sense to her but it cracked her up all the same. Eric pointed me in the right direction.

"I'm going to check on him" He looked like he was going to protest but he simply nodded

"We will be in room 821" They watched me walk away. They didn't leave until the door opened and I entered. The room was completely dark. I guess with super sense they got to save money on electric bills. I was jealous. He saw it was a human at the door and turned on the light in the walk way.

"Your majesty" He hadn't gotten cleaned. His clothes were stained with dried blood and dirt. The make shift sling I crafted from my dress was still on him. He was a dreadful sight.

"I came to see if you had everything you needed" He was leaning against the wall. He looked paler than he should. He staggered further into his room turning on lights as he went.

The floor surrounding the bed was littered with bottles of blood. "Have you had a donor" He looked at me for a moment his fatigue and pain subsided. He looked confused. That was the least depressing face I have ever seen him wear.

"In my state I would drain them" he didn't sound like the prospect bothered him. I guess it would be a hassle to dispose of the bodies after. Whatever the reasoning I appreciated the consideration. But bottled blood was cutting it. I picked up his room phone and called the front desk. There was an angular crystal center piece on the night stand. I filled it with soapy water. I also brought him some wash cloths.

Edgar cut his shirt off. I held his hand pushed into his side as he cleaned his face and neck. The damage to his arm was extensive. In all the time that had passed. His arm still was only about a quarter way joined to his body. I looked elsewhere because his bone had been severed clean through. When he was done I replaced the piece of my dress with a torn sheet. It prevented his arm from dangling about. It also saved him some dignity and pain. When I was leaving room service was at his door with bags of blood I had asked for. I wasn't too sure how appropriate the term room service was. It was a sketchy looking guy with a picnic sized cooler.

"Thank you" Edgar said.

I smiled. "You're welcome" Of course he didn't return my smile but I thought we were making progress.

On my way to the to meet Eric I chanced across Alana. She bowed. It was so reluctant I thought her neck would snap in two. The two distinguishing factors for Alana were her permanently exposed midsection and her under developed cleavage. My guess was she compensated for her eternally young body by barely clothing it. She was a tiny little thing; barely a teenager when she had died the first time. What she lacked in stature she made up for in unremitting hostility. The only person whose glower could surpass hers was Thalia. that's saying something.

"I was sent by his majesty to watch over Edgar" She said those words as if it killed her all over again to do so. She has always made me uncomfortable. I simply nodded and walked on.

I knew I was in the right place when I spotted two hulking guards outside the door. They nodded and let me enter. It was just each royal and their personal guards present. I took the empty seat next to Eric. The room was chucked full of tension. No one had to tell me that accusations were being thrown around. It wouldn't have been appropriate to say, "Hey ya'll what I miss" I waited for them to continue.

"We are discussing who the target could have been" Isaiah said. Tristan's eyes narrowed ever so slightly. Isaiah's right hand was a short sandy haired vampire that had lived well into his thirties. He caught the look on Tristan's face and didn't let it go unanswered.

"It would not benefit us to end her" That was comforting. They glared at each other and neither of their heads of states said anything.

"Are you guys serious?" If this is why they had me dragged out of bed I was going to be seriously pissed off. They all had to excuse me if I was snippy as I explained my logic. I had no patience in me. I had been through hell. It was an unholy hour of the night. I had been dragged out of bed; I saw the inside of a vampire's arm and I was tired. "This right here" I gestured between Tristan and his opponent. "Is the aim no matter who the target had been" Our little alliance had enemies. While killing one of us would be very good for a lot of other kingdoms. It would be even better to sit back and watch us fight amongst ourselves then pick us off. If the attack had been the gas the atmosphere in here would be the match. I really didn't think Isaiah had a hand in it if he did then his plan wasn't very well thought out. He lost some people and he had been extremely close to the blast and the impending fight. On top of all that he was one of the last people to hit the deck. Not to say Pam could be counted out of anything diabolical but I didn't think she had a hand in it either. If anything she would have blown up half of his house in a ploy to ax him. The attack we suffered was like a shot gun blast. Pam would have set it off like a sniper rifle. If I knew nothing else about her for sure I knew that much. Out of royals in the alliance that left me and Eric, the last thing I wanted was a fight of any scale with anyone. Eric had expressed he wanted stability. Killing Isaiah was no way to get it.

Eric was feeling quite smug but he kept quiet. There was a smile playing at the corner of Pam's lips. I knew she got a kick out my upheavals. The room was quite as they saw my point. Slowly the bulk of the tension began to dissipate.

"There is just one more thing that I wanted explained" Isaiah was his easy going self again. "How did you prevent harm to our numbers?" I gave him a leveled look. Some people would have just said thank you and be done with it. In his eyes I saw he was hoping I had something to bottle and sell to him.

"Last I check I'm not your wife. I don't answer to you" It wasn't that I particularly answered to Eric it was just a way to deflect the question in what was an acceptable vampire manner. The first half was all mine though. Eric gave him a bland expression and stood. He nodded good byes to him and Pam. I did the same.

I felt bad leaving Arkansas knowing Pam needed me for whatever it was that was upsetting her outside of getting her house destroyed and nearly being made finally dead. We got home late in the morning. I decided to go see my uncle. I left my body guards at home because fairies weren't kind to weres. I also wouldn't be going far. Dermot was in Monroe. It was a good opportunity to visit with my cousin as well.

The sun was shining and the ugliness of last night was fading from the front of my mind. It felt good to drive my own car. It was the same one I bought from my uncle. I rarely got to drive it. One of the things I disliked about having guards was that I couldn't just turn the radio up and sing along as we drove. They were supposed to protect me. After being forced to listen to me sing they may let me die to free themselves of what I called a singing voice.

Claude's town house was exactly as I remembered. My uncle was in the front of the house shirtless doing yard work. It was a treat for the women walking by. I eagerly joined him. It seemed that things that were once necessary chores in my life were now special privileges. When it got too hot to do anything else we went inside and I brought up Pam, wished to God that I hadn't.

"I saw Pam yesterday" He frowned like I had uttered the mother of curse words. That explained a lot. I took a bite of the sandwich he made and took an awful long time to chew it. This conversation really had no place to go but down.

"She is not someone I care to discuss. In fact I am not yet decided on making her finally dead" I knew he cared about her and I knew they had a different; more violent way to connect to each other but he sounded off; he sounded bitter and very serious.

"Someone tried to beat you to it" It got a reaction out of him and it wasn't positive. Of course that could just mean he wanted to do it himself but it still counted.

"I am sure she deserved worse than she got" Spoken like a woman scorned. I was thinking of what could have happened. The only thing I came up with was that he frowned upon her marrying someone. For a brief moment I considered his part in what happened last night. I was ashamed of myself for thinking it. He wouldn't. A fairy and his vampire lover who were both centuries old were having relationship problems. There was no bit of advice I could offer from my twenty-seven years of life to either of them. More importantly they weren't asking. I left that whole thing alone. The main reason for my visit had been a bust but once we moved past the subject of Pam Dermot was himself again.

"Hello cousin" Claude came home a few hours later. I was at the kitchen sink getting a glass of water. To my complete surprise he actually sounded happy to see me. It was a welcomed change.

"You best stop being so cheery I may actually think you care" He chuckled and hugged me. He pulled away to look at me and everything changed.

His eyes widened and they were glued to my stomach. I was worried that he had taken my joke as something other than that.

"You" he whispered his voice was subdued. His handsome face was befuddled.

"What?" I folded my arms across my chest and glared at him. I wasn't in the mood for this. If he started his usual crap I would pitch a fit. He staggered back a few steps and fell into a chair without the usual fairy grace.

"You are with child" He whispered. I scowled.

"That's not funny" I sat down across from him trying to portray anger but I was hurt. It was a shame that we all couldn't be as perfect bodied as he was. Thinking I was fat was one thing. There was no way I was fat enough to be confused for pregnant.

Dermot was now in the kitchen watching my hurt expression and Claude's incredulity. After a long moment he said. "He does not jest" I ground my teeth and stood up. Thankfully my purse was close by. I prepared for a good old fashioned righteous walk out.

"If you two invited me over to poke fun at me then I'm going home" I spun on my heel and turned towards the door. Claude grabbed my wrist with enough force to bring me to an abrupt halt.

"Fairies cannot tell direct lies" he said. My mouth was hanging open. I knew as much.

"That's not possible" I was shaking my head and trying to pull away from his hold as if the distance would change his mind.

I once saw Claude conduct and ultrasound just by touching Tara's belly. There was no way he was wrong. He couldn't be right either. Quickly my mind was trying to recall my last period to help me make sense of this. It was before the wedding. I just assumed I was stressed out. This may have been a reason for other women to worry but not me. For fuck sake my husband was a vampire. Eric was the only one I had been with. I was trying to come up with something anything. He waited for me to realize what he already knew. Then he let me go and I fell into my seat.

"I swear I haven't been with anyone but Eric" I was looking for someone to believe me because I knew no one else would. He nodded.

"They aren't all human" My cousin was staring at my midsection.

"Come" He reached for my hand that was on the table and signaled for me to get up. He remained seated. He rolled up my shirt over my midsection. He placed both his hands on either sides of my navel. He seemed to be in awe. "They are part vampire" Dermot and I both gave him a look that questioned his sanity. It sounded crass but I have been having sex with vampires a long time. Not worrying about contraceptives or diseases was one of the greatest bonuses next to the skill and stamina. All I could do was cry and my entire body shook. "Shh" It was the same noise people made when you were being loud at the movie theater or at the library. He gave me a look of censor. I cried harder. Exasperated he tucked the billowing curtain of dark hair behind his ear and pressed it to my stomach.

"Their heart beats are very slow"

I stopped my blubbering for the moment. "That's bad" I gathered. He pulled away and shook his head. "They seem to be healthy"

"They?" I was rather slow on the draw right now. He smiled and nodded.

"What I want to know is how" I straightened my shirt and returned to my seat not trusting my legs. "I don't know" I was close to tears. This was a dream it had to be. Then again not even in my wildest dream had I ever dared to dream this.

Claude and Dermot looked at each other and had a fairy version of the silent conversation vampires had. Only their faces didn't remain expressionless and they nodded at each other in the midst of this dialogue.

"Did anything happen when you saw my father?" I played one of the happiest days of my life in my head again.

My hands flew over my mouth. I was frozen that way for a few seconds. "He couldn't. He wouldn't" I finally replied.

"If anyone is able it is him" Claude shook his head and showed his normal self.

"This is what you get for not being materialistic" I didn't even have the energy to glare at him. "He probably offered you _Tana hadin_ and you refused" I was confused.

Dermot clarified. "It loosely translates into great wish" What do you know Niall was like a genie after all. "He must have offered it as a wedding present" I shook my head insistently, both trying to clear it and disagree with their assumption.

"He said it was customary, that he had to give me something so I asked him to let Dermot back into Faery" Dermot looked so touched. He wanted to speak but appeared to be beyond words. He must have just assumed I was able to talk his father into forgiving him, as if I could talk a thousand year old fairy into anything.

"Let me get this straight" Claude looked beyond words too though I couldn't tell you why "Instead of asking for something you gave him something?" I thought about it and I guess I did. My cousin laughed. He tried to stop a few times but couldn't. He smacked the table once or twice as he chortled. He missed the death glares he was receiving from Dermot and I. "It would appear he returned the favor doubled" He sobered up some but there was still a smile on his face. Trust this asshole to find humor in the destruction of life as I knew it.

I was suddenly livid. Eric was no longer the king of highhandedness. That title now belonged with my great grandfather where it would forever remain. Niall had children that were half Fae. He knew the difficulties they faced. Did he not know the kind of danger he was putting us all in? He wasn't here to help and I had no idea how I was supposed to protect myself, Eric and our children.

"How could he?" I was looking at my hands in my lap as if it held all the answers to my problems.

"This could not have been possible if you had no desire to bare your husband children conscious or otherwise" Dermot's tone was placating. "As I have explained to you before giving gifts is a form of the deepest affection amongst our kind"

Claude nodded in accent. "_Tana hadin_ is not done often or done lightly. Mostly because it is bound to nothing; no laws; not even the impossible. It requires the kind of power that very few possess. It is the greatest of gifts" my anger gave way to tears. I have been having mood swings like this for a while. It was nice to have them explained.

Claude had obviously tired of the water works. "Here eat something" He got up and served me some food. I thought I was too upset to eat but when my plate was in front of me I ate. I was still teary eyed and sniffling but I tucked in. They didn't say anything about it anymore. They talked to each other about trivial things. We were trying to ignore the elephant in the room; the pregnant elephant. I appreciated it. But I knew things like this didn't go away no matter how much you ignored it.

"Take a nap with us you will feel better" Dermot suggested. I was a bit weary. Suddenly I wished I hadn't come alone. I just couldn't fathom making the drive to Shreveport but I shook my head.

"Thanks but I have to get home" Where a very bizarre conversation was waiting for me. Claude blanched slightly.

"You aren't going to tell the vampire to his face. Are you?" He sounded faintly concerned.

"He will not harm her" Dermot said. Claude scoffed in a non verbal way to say bullshit.

"You two have been bedding vampires for too long" Dermot smiled. I frowned. "Think about it. He will jump to conclusions and she will lose her head" Dermot flinched. All of a sudden he didn't look so sure of his assessment that Eric wouldn't hurt me. Claude turned to me and began trying to convey reason. "Tell him over the phone. Lay low until your children are born then you will have your proof" He backtracked. "Obviously you can't stay here but you're smart you'll figure it out." Dermot actually took a swing at him for that one. He ducked effortlessly. "I don't need an angry vampire king beating down a path to my front door. Besides this is the first place he'll look" He had very valid points. It scared me. I had barely absorbed I was pregnant. I had no plans. Even if I was considering taking off I wouldn't burden them. On the other hand the self-centeredness of my fairy cousin was astounding.

"Thanks but I'm going home" I had to be sensible. I came with lojack. Where was I going to go that Eric couldn't follow?

"You are tired. Rest, then go home" Dermot was patting my hand. He looked worried. I agreed to ease his worries and because he was right. I was just exhausted. He led me into a spare bedroom. We lay together. The comfort that came from laying with him was not enough. With every passing second my fears seemed to grow.

"I don't know what I'm going to do" I always dreamed of being a mother. When I realized that vampires would never leave me alone I had laid that desire to rest. Obviously I hadn't buried it as much as I thought. There was so many other things going on around me. I had been caught in the crosshairs of so many fights. I have been beaten and bruised so many times I had lost count at this point. There was no way I could have a child with me in what was now my life. Any child I had would have a target on its back. Nothing about their lives would be normal or stable or safe.

The only reason Jason had never been used against me was because he was a were and they looked after their own. The other family I had were fairies. Then there was Hunter who was unknown. Claude was right but not for the reason he thought. I had to leave but I didn't know how to or where in the world I would go.

Dermot had been watching the emotions play since we laid sown. "You are going to run" He asked. A tear escaped my eye. I didn't want to. The idea hurt so much but the dangers I saw for my children here were astronomical. I saw no other way. "Will you tell him?" He already knew the answer. He nodded in understanding. "As your guardian I will accompany you in this. But as your guardian I must also say that this is wrong" This is the first time he has ever given me unsolicited advice. Usually he never seemed to care to offer his opinion one way or the other as long as I was safe. "My father would have never done this had he thought your vampire unworthy" His face was hard. He was definitely against this. I tried to remain strong and keep my crying silent as he said his piece. "You will take away his wife and rob him of his children in one blow" I began sobbing because I already knew I was wrong; that what I was thinking of doing was unforgivable but I was doing what I thought was best. "If you do this, you will break him"

**So there you have it. The mystery behind the "motion sickness" What will happen next...? the viking POV...Thats what... **

*****Another big hoorah for Siberian Shewolf*****

**Like always let me know what your thoughts, feelings and predictions are.  
**


	12. Impossible

OMG!

You guys are fired up! I feel like I have done a good job as a writer in being able to elicit this kind of emotion. On the other hand I am a little scared… ** ducks and runs and hides**

I wanted to answer a few questions that came up in reviews.

• "Her scent in relation to my own is that of a child's child" So yes Sookie's scent has changed but Eric attributes it their many blood exchanges as of late during their wild monkey sex.

• She can hide from him there are several means; (Cardinal paradox that was used to blind the Koválls in V&V, She is friends with a talented witch, Amelia plus Octavia owes her big! She also has her fairy uncle who can do all kinds of nifty tricks. She herself has been thought how to cloak…And remember when she uses magic it distorts the bond a bit)

With all that being said it was with great haste that I did this next update! Also with concerns for my safety ;)

Dedication for this chapter goes to Spike88. I am guessing "S" is for Sherlock because a lot of the theories and suspicions in your reviews have a propensity to be spot on…Well Spike88 this one's for you. Even if it may be your last one

**Eric**

**Chapter Twelve**

**Impossible**

It was odd to find that Sookie was not home when I woke at first dark. Gideon and I were preparing to drive to meet with Alcide. I had intended to inform her of the events that befell her shifter friend. I did not want to burden her last night. She was weary from all that she had witnessed and suffered. I felt it could wait until tonight because Sam was wounded severely but he survived. The name of the less fortunate were was Jenna Lynn. I have met her once. She was the long tooth packs enforcer. Alcide was furious. I felt the meeting would go smoother if Sookie was present. Her status with the pack was still high ranking. This situation required finesse.

I had been awake for an hour and she still wasn't home. Another half hour later she still hadn't returned. I called her phone and got no response. It was not surprising. I have never met someone so detached from their phone. She wasn't in danger or hurt. I couldn't say what she was feeling exactly. It was a combination of many things none of which was pleasant. I couldn't get a reading she was most likely asleep. Gideon was becoming fidgety. Things outside a charted course made him that way.

He was placing calls to her guards. He did not have to they were pulling in front of the house. I knew Sookie was not with them. This was wouldn't have particularly alarming if it was not after their scheduled hours. They remained with her during the day. Then at first dark she would be with me or another vampire in our court. It was why they were not present during the fight that occurred in Pam's home.

Upon taking this position I had instructed them to shadow her steps when she was not home. But they were also to do as she asked. If she did not want them to accompany her they would have no choice but to obey. Perhaps she wasn't going far nor would she be gone long. Chances are she was in Bon Temps or Monroe visiting kin. The smell of were was offensive to fairies. It would make sense for her to leave them here. I disliked that she did this occasionally but she did not make a habit of it. All my rationalizations did little to ease my concern. Her emotions had me feeling strangely off center.

Gideon answered the door before they knocked. "She's been gone all day" Ty said. I could smell the woods on his brother. He looked tired I would guess he had tracked her in his were form.

"We tracked her to Monroe with the usual fairy plus another dark haired one"

"I am aware" They nodded and I dismissed them.

I thought about what to do. She was unharmed there was no cause for alarm. Despite what I knew I was worried which was normal but I was also slightly agitated. Because I was beginning to wonder if this was proving to be too much for her. I wondered if she was becoming unhappy with me or the choice she had made. Sometimes she was so strong it was easy to forget that she was human. Yesterday had been hard. She may need time to just be. I would do what I could to settle the situation with the weres by myself.

We were moving through the streets of Shreveport nearly at our destination. The next phone call I received was the last I expected. It halted me in my tracks and sent me spiraling in the opposite direction.

I did not go idle as I blended into the night. This place was so familiar but I haven't had reason to be back at this house for months. I waited on the front porch of Sookie's former home. Many memories of us and the early stages of our relationship were here. I have been in love with her longer than I would care to admit. My mind was torn in so many different places because she was giving me reason to question her integrity. Instead of letting my mind roam down unpleasant trails I let everything except the night around fall away from it completely. Soon there was a shimmer in the air that disrupted the flat shadows in the space that surrounded me. My back was against the column at the top of the steps. I was facing the door. The fairy's back was to me and so was that of my wife.

Nothing could have told them that I would be here. The fairy was wearing an expression that indicated strain and something else that I could not identify. Sookie looked like hell. Her eyes were puffy and anyone could see she has been crying. The fairy means of transport did not agree with her and she appeared pale on that account. They were both frozen with eyes wide. The fairy I ignored with ease. Sookie was the target of my gaze. It was heavy and accusatory. It missed nothing and for the first time since I met her she wavered under the intensity of my glare.

"Anthony called" I began. Her face paled further and her heart beat accelerated. I was not accustomed to being the last to know things. In this instance it should never be so. Sookie was my wife. I trusted her with everything I had. As I looked at her I knew she was keeping something from me, something crucial. Whatever it was made her afraid. "He said I had to stop you. That you were going to do something that you couldn't take back. That it would get all of us killed" She flinched and cringed behind the back of the fairy. He tightened the hold he had on her arm to keep her up. Her tears began falling. I hated to see her tears. The urge to wrap my arm around her and comfort her was strong. I stood my ground. She was going to explain herself. She was going to do it now.

There was a rage building inside me. I just needed to know the exact cause. "Dermot I need to speak with my wife-alone" He was a warrior I knew that. We both knew he was no match for me. He did not have the sense to acknowledge defeat of an opponent that was beyond him. For Sookie I knew he would fight to the death. If he pushed me I would annihilate him here and now with no regard for the consequences from Sookie or Pam. It confused me that he looked relieved instead of hostile. He looked at Sookie and she nodded. He reached to open the door then he disappeared. Sookie walked into the house and I followed. My back was to the front door and she was in front of me. She looked worn it and tore at me but still I stood my ground.

"What was Anthony talking about?" I can say I have never used this tone with her before. She was getting a small glimpse of the reason people feared me.

"Eric" Her voice was small and almost pleading. It was so unlike her it left me feeling hollow. Sookie was combative, stubborn and bold no matter how detrimental to her welfare. I waved my hand for her to stop her preamble.

"Explain yourself this instant" She couldn't seem to find words another thing that was out of her character. I was in front of her and she was shrouded in my shadow. "Tell me!" I growled.

"I was going to leave" It took a lot longer than it should for her words to register. Did she think it was that easy? The consequences would be dire for my throne and my state. Beyond the political ramifications I could not be without her. We were bound too tight. It should have taken centuries but it has happened. We were halves of a whole. Neither half would allow one to fully live without the other. She has been more than happy as of late. It had nothing to do with the blood we shared. The first thing I felt when I woke was her yearning and anticipation of me. Every time I walked into a room I saw how her face lit up. I could feel how much she loved me. Neither of us could fool the bond we shared. We were happy. I put the width of the room of the room between us.

I was feeling a cluster of emotions. The most dominant of emotions after shock was pure unmitigated rage, twisted with piercing pain. I can honestly declare that I have never in all my years felt it's' like. No one could ever inflict this much pain on me. I had never allowed anyone to. The most primal part of me wanted to eradicate the cause of this tumult. Had it been someone else, anyone else that part of me would have won. Instead I remained frozen. My mind was spinning. I tried, but I couldn't grasp a coherent thought. She wanted to leave me. Then an even more painful and infuriating thought sunk into my consciousness.

"You were going to run" it carried to her ears but I was speaking to myself. There was madness on my tongue. I could taste it. It was clouding my vision and my head.

"I…"

This woman would unquestionably be my end. I lost control like I haven't in centuries. "How could you?" My hands were clenched in fists at my side. "Without so much as a note or phone call you were just going to loiter off like some hood" I was shouting and my right hand was already through a wall. I saw her cower from me but I did not feel her fear. The bond we shared was mine. My rage, in all its ferocity dominated it. "Do I mean so little to you?"

She shook her head and her body trembled with sobs. "No baby, no…" She was trying to continue speaking but couldn't.

"Do I not deserve better than this?" I have watched her run from everyone at the first sign of instability. I had once found it ironic that she had such great strength and courage but matters of the heart made her flappable. That was not how she treated me. She has stood by me from the day she became mine-always. Nothing about what I knew of her would indicate she was capable of such an act of callousness. I also felt betrayed and I could not understand any of this. It served to fuel my anger. I felt like I had been blinded by her. I saw only what I wanted to see I felt like a fool.

The wall closest to me was already reduced to ruin at my feet. It looked as though the slightest breath would topple it "If you would do this to me now, you were never mine to begin with" Anthony was right if I hadn't come we would have all died. In my stupidity I would have waged war in search of a woman that did not want me. Whomever I wrongfully accused would have hunted her and killed her. Damn the consequences she did not have to run. I was letting her go if that was what she desired.

I had to get out of here. This wasn't even the tip of my fury. I would rip this house to rubble with my bare hands with us still in it. Even as enraged as I was I did not want to harm a single hair in her head. I turned to leave.

"Eric, please stop" She crumpled to the floor. Her hands were wrapped around her knees.

"For what, there is nothing else to say" I knew that logically that was the case. A part of me; the part she awoken wanted an explanation; it wanted a chance to fix what was broken. I wanted to make her happy. I wanted her to stay. The anger I was feeling was attempting to smother those feelings. It succeeded and I walked away.

The woods that surrounded this home served as a channel for all that I was feeling. If Bill heard the commotion he did not come to investigate. It was rare that I used my full strength and speed tonight I unleashed it all. Small animals scurried for safety as I let myself get lost and given into nothing but the inherent predator I was. Tree after tree was reduced to mulch. My hands cut and bled and healed over and over again. The pain did not register as I trudged through this senseless task. Each time I used one tree to strike another it made a noise like thunder. It rang through the night and comforted me.

I did not know how long I had been lost. Now that the anger had been let out only the pain remained. I preferred anger. I looked at my hands as the last scratch healed.

"Eric" My child was standing just outside the clearing I had created. He had been there for some time. I had felt his urge to find me and his anxiety when he did. Gideon approached cautiously. He perched himself on a fallen tree. "What's going on?" I am ashamed to say tears escaped my eyes as I recanted for him the scene with Sookie. He was quiet thinking it over.

"She didn't say why" I shook my head.

"I did not ask" He was confused.

"We'll track her down and figure it out" the tone he used was one that begged an ultimatum. It said there had better be a good reason. I shook my head. I refused. I would suffer for the reminder of time before I lowered myself that much further. I should no longer have to chase after what was mine in every way imaginable. He was dissatisfied but did not press it "Fine let's get home" He knew I did not have the energy to fly. Our pace to the car was barely more than human.

It would have been senseless to go searching for Sookie because she was home when we arrived. Because now I no longer knew what she wanted I was both angry and happy to see her. I hated the insecurity she had created in me, in us. Had I not stopped her she would not be here. Worry was plain on her face when she took in my clothes. I walked past her. Though I knew he very much did not want to Gideon did the same. My faith in her had been shaken.

Sookie followed me up stairs and waited while I took a shower. I tried to ghost past her again. Rejection and hurt quickly turned to anger.

"Damn it Eric! You have all eternity to pretend I don't exist if you want but just give me a fucking minute" I stopped because this Sookie was familiar to me and I was weak. She also had a firm hold on my arm that would require excessive force to break. I did not turn and she began speaking to my back. Every muscle in my body was locked in placed in an attempt to keep from leaning into the contact. "Do you remember the night we got married?" I had no idea what that had to do with any of this. I was not at my finest analytical state at the moment. I simply nodded. "Do you remember Niall being there?" again I nodded. The smell of the fairy had been all over. It had made for sex that was in a class all its own. "He said he had to give me a gift. He said it was customary but I didn't know it was something more than just a favor" I turned to face her.

She had gotten herself wrapped in fairy mischief. "What was it?" She wiped her eyes on the back of her hand. Her face was red and she looked like it was taking all her control to speak. I wanted to hold her but I was not calm enough yet.

"_Tana-Hadin"_ My eyes widened. Her pronunciation was off but her meaning was clear. I was in awe. Humans had it wrong in thinking granting impossible wishes lay in the hands of a genie. Tana Hadin was the most coveted thing in the world of the supernatural. It was something vampires wanted from a Fae more than their blood. It could grant your deepest desire. It was given very rarely amongst themselves and never to a vampire for obvious reasons. While all this was intriguing it did not explain her intended actions.

She took a deep breath to bolster her resolve. "I didn't want to leave" Her bottom lip trembled but she bit down on it to keep from crying again. "I felt like I had no choice" Her fear was palpable. I did not understand her thinking at times. If she was threatened by anyone she should have come to me. My only guess was someone was being used against her or she was protecting me. I pulled her into my arms. She kept repeating her last sentence over and over. I felt guilty for having had that tantrum. I should have known there was something more to this than her simply wanting to walk away. Her grief was becoming all-consuming much like my rage past.

I sat her on the bed and fetched a glass of water. She needed to explain this in greater detail and she couldn't in her current state. She drank slowly. I held her and waited. Niall cared for her. I found it hard to believe that he would pose a direct threat. Perhaps he offered her the gift in exchange for something else. It did not matter. Anyone who dared to threaten her would surely rue the day. It took several minutes but he set her glass down and turned to me.

"I…I'm pregnant" I have never been so at loss.

"This is what you asked Niall for?" It was unlike her to do something like that without speaking to me. We have had one conversation about children. At the time I felt she was being reasonable about an emotional decision. She had expressed she desired them but her life was riddled with too many dangers due to her involvement in the world of the supernatural. I agreed. Even if that wasn't the case being with me was a sacrifice because a child was the one thing I could not give her. Nights when she watched over her nephew Hunter she would go to her former home to be with him. Nothing was ever said but during those nights I always felt a twinge of loss from her; as she bathe him or lay him down to rest. Those things gave her a different kind of joy. She was at age where women of this time bore children. That would never be her life.

"No" She shook her head morosely. "I asked him to let Dermot back home" It now made sense that she would run. With her worries of having a child and the unexpected nature she panicked. I was not angry with her anymore. She was had this insufferable tendency to think she was alone in things. It made me feel inadequate when she would hurt over something and seek comfort in her solitude or with someone else before she came to me. It annoyed me but in truth it was her survival mechanism. For a long time she was alone. She had been so accustomed to being able to count on herself she was still not accustomed to having me. She took care of herself or other people but rarely was it the other way around. It was why she fought me on her credit cards and expensive gifts till this day. She did not yet realize this quality did not make her stronger but it made us weaker.

"He said he was giving me something to ensure my future. I never thought…I would never have asked for twins no less" She was close to tears again. I held her face in my hands. I felt the opposite. If ever I had even the slightest chance to give her a child I would have. Any child we had would be magnificent. Despite the shock, uncertainty and anxiety of it all I knew she was happy. She was going to give me something I thought I would never have again. It would not be easy but I would make them safe.

We were lying in bed. She was tired and I just wanted to be where she was. She told me in more detail about a special gift of her fairy cousin. She would have remained oblivious if not for him. I had noticed a difference in her scent and mood but I attributed it to other causes knowing that she was with child explained a lot. Physically she still looked the same. Even as my hand rubbed her stomach I felt nothing. I kept it there regardless.

"Lover"

"Hmm"

"Never do that to me again" While I understood the thinking behind it, it did not change the pain it caused me and would continue to cause me had she followed through. She turned to face.

"I'm sorry and I swear I'll never do anything like that again" I kissed her head and held her face. She brought her hand over mine.

"Do not be afraid. Come what may I am with you always. Never forget it. Never doubt it"

Everyone can breathe a sigh of relief for the moment

**So Spike88 Chapter twelve belongs to you!**

I know the last chapter was hard on us all. Angst is as hard to write as it is read. I knew the direction I was going long before the story began but I felt Sookie had to learn a crucial lesson very early in the story. It is going to serve her very well in future chapters. So I hope you can all forgive Sookie. The me, myself and I way of thinking is very hard to break. I also had enjoyed Eric having a fit over the unfairness that he nearly suffered. It was something I had never done before. What did you guys think? Too scary? I also felt like Sookie may have forgotten the threat Pam made the day she got married. That shit wouldn't have gone over had she been present, No? I know her relationship with Gideon is gonna need some mending.


	13. Rude Awakening

I would have uploaded sooner but I was having issues with the site but I hope it gave everyone time to cool off.

While Eric and Sookie have gotten past a big hurdle the real vampire shenanigans can begin.

A great big Thank you to all those who took the time to review. It means a lot and I love hearing how my work is received. Sometimes it gives a better direction to go with the writing.

While I was trolling the city looking for a venue to spend my Friday night I stumbled across a Chippendale's. I had a fabulous time. It made me decide on my next chapter dedication with blissful ease. **Chipndalegal,** chapter thirteen is all yours! Be kind enough to share. It's more fun!

**Sookie**

**Chapter Thirteen**

**A Rude Awakening  
**

In my head I never saw the double standard I subjected Eric to. I complained about mine continuously. He was my husband. I still fought him on things I felt were too much, which was pretty much everything. If he was human or poor or both I would have accepted us easier. I had wronged him in so many ways before and I almost did it in the worst way. Last night I saw Eric like I had never seen him before. He was the vampire that I had forgotten he could be. He was out of control and it scared the shit out of me. I didn't know what I was holding onto but Eric's fit shook it loose and blew it right out the window. My little farm house was the only casualty. By the time Eric was finished the inner walls on either side of the front door were absent. When he slammed the door on his way out the backing around the front door fell. There were chunks of plaster and cement and wood blocking the front door. The door was standing but barely. I knew I would be paying for the damages.

I really can't put into words how seeing him turn his back to me felt. The worst emotional pain I have ever experienced goes back to that night in the New Orleans; hearing Bill confess how he was sent for me and not to me. Seeing him walk out on me was worse than that. It left me unable to breathe. Dermot found me on the floor. He had to slap me a little. (It was his preferred to bring someone around) He held me but didn't say anything except:

"Sia avell, for the last time go home" So home I went I didn't know if I was still welcomed there but I went anyways. It was where I wanted to be and it was where I belonged.

For over two hours all I felt from my husband was pure rage. It gave me a headache and formed a knot in my stomach but I waited it out. I wore a path in the living room and tried to gather what to say. I panicked and it would have cost a lot more than I would have ever imagined. Running away would have killed Eric and me and a lot of other people. While I knew I would be causing him emotional pain I never for one second thought that. I thought by leaving I would be avoiding those exact circumstances.

Anthony was right. At least partly because while no one died I had done something I couldn't take back. I lost something Eric had given me. I had never felt so much anger and hurt coming from him and I was the cause. Long after those emotions passed; long after I explained the impossible which he took surprisingly well, even long after I apologized and I felt I was forgiven his disappointment in me still remained. That was more painful than his fleeting feelings of resentment; It cut more than his accusations of me not caring about him. I hated it more than him yelling and ignoring me. I never wanted to give him a reason to doubt me. It made me feel small and guilt was heavy on my shoulders. The vows we took didn't just apply to me despite what I thought. Eric was bossy and highhanded but he had never made me doubt he loved or cared about me. In his mind I had been his to protect and love longer than he had been mine. It was something I had always been able to count on and so could our children.

I woke up this morning thinking about how big a mess I had made. With all the emotions of the last few days I felt sapped. I needed a full days rest. David canceled any appointments. Tomorrow I would play catch up. I must be living wrong because there no rest for the wicked. I flipped on the news and my plans for a peaceful day soon disappeared. On the screen was a very familiar place and it had been blasted to smithereens. My mouth hung open as I watched a reporter speak in front of what was left of Merlottes. A petite woman with big hair was wearing a somber face but you could tell she wasn't use to being in that neck of the woods. I turned the volume up. "This tragic site is the result of hate. The establishment belonged to Sam Merlotte. He has been a valued member of his society and an outstanding citizen. Sam was also one of the two natured humans" Her face vanished and I saw footage of the night the two natured came out to the world. There was footage of the protest that was taking place outside the bar soon after. I had no idea anyone was taping that nonsense. From the angle it was one of the protestors. They weren't going to do anything good with the recordings. The footage cut to what had been the night of the fire. I saw the parking lot of Merlottes crowded with a fire truck and an ambulance and people being plain nosy. My heart leapt into my throat when I saw a body bag being loaded into the coroners van.

The reporter kept talking but I was only listening for any news about casualties. I didn't need her explaining to me that this was an atrocity I could figure that out all on my own. "Officials do suspect the target was indeed Sam Merlotte because the venue had been closed. Sam remains in critical condition. A companion of his, another of the two natured Miss. Jennalynn Hopper had been inside his home during the attack. She was pronounced dead at the scene." My mouth fell open with an audible gasp. I disliked Jennalynn but I couldn't help the tears that fell for her loss. Sam loved her and no one deserved to die like that. "Extremists are calling a victory in the fight for humanity" I turned the television off when they let people like Steve Newlin spew their hate for all to hear.

While I got dressed I was calling around to find out where Sam was. My brother was at work. I couldn't reach Alcide. I tried Hot Shot and got lucky. I called Calvin at the number that had been stored under Crystal's name. Tanya picked up. I trampled all over the manners that gran had spent years instilling in me. I skipped the pleasantries and asked my question. It did not serve my cause well.

"Where have you been?" It was an accusation if I ever heard one in some many words. There was no secret that Sam and I were really good friends. I should have been one of the first people there when he was hurt. I couldn't hardly explain to her that I was at a vampire wedding and full scale battle thereafter in the next state over. Or that last night I made a mess of my personal life and found out that I was going to have twins that were fathered by my vampire husband. I took a deep breath instead.

"I have been out of town on business" That was best I could do and it was all she was going to get.

"It isn't pretty. He suffered second degree burns and damages to his insides from smoke inhalation" I made a little noise like I was gagging. "He is in Renard Parish Hospital room E403" I fought the urge to throw my phone in my purse and run out the door.

"Thank you Tanya"

She went "Uh-huh" I took it as an okay to get off the phone. Before I left I scribbled a note and left it on the bed. Then Rob, Ty and I made the drive to the hospital. Thankfully I have never been sickly but in the past two years I have been in hospitals very often. I disliked it. It wasn't that I was always in them because someone tried to kill me or someone I knew. It was the smell. With all the antiseptics and cleaning agents there was nothing natural about the odor. It smelled too clean. Even the temperature in a hospital was unappealing. It was cold. Misery and pain was magnified in the always cool temperature. All in all my time spent here was always unpleasant.

I knew we were in the right place when I began hearing weres and shifters of all varieties. The collective glare I received was unmistakable an inexplicable. Two of them I recognized as members of long tooth pack the last of the three was a stranger and rather strange. He had hair that was dyed green but it was jet black at the tip of his Mohawk. Both arms were sleeved in tattoos. He was a thin little man; very young but he couldn't be mistaken for easy going on any day of the week.

I didn't think it wise to just reach for the door. Ty spoke. Out of the two he seemed to be the mouth piece. Rob spoke only when he absolutely had to. "You can search us, but no one touches her" There was nowhere for me to hide any kind of weapon in my dress. Rob and Ty were patted down. It looked like it killed Rob to do it but they willingly turned over their guns and all their knives. One of the guards went in ahead of us to announce our presence.

There was hardly any space in Sam's room. All available surfaces were covered with flowers, balloons and cards. There was a woman in a chair next to the bed. I had never met her before but I could tell she was a shifter. From the hair I knew she was also Sam's mom. She was older but her body was aging with grace. There was a natural warm tan that gave her aged skin a sun kissed glow. Her hair had the same strawberry tint that Sam's did. Whether it was her natural look or from laying her head on the side of the bed I couldn't tell you. Her hair was tousled around her face like a messy halo only it was much longer and peppered with slivers of grey. Her eyes were green they were blood shot and teary.

I wanted to sound polite but not overly friendly. "Good afternoon, I'm Sookie Sta…Northman, Sookie Northman" I just wasn't used to being Mrs. Northman. It has only been five weeks since I got married. The name that I had used all my life was gone. I knew that but it was an automatic thing that came from being a Stackhouse for the last twenty-seven years. At the end of my introduction I wound up sounding confused about who the hell I was. Nothing was funny but I looked like I was trying not to smile which in truth I was, my panicked smile was threating at the corners of my lips. With the circumstances I would have been tossed out of the room. I was sure she already thought I was a nut. I wasn't going to hold it against her.

There was a worn smile on her face. "What took you so long?" She asked. She had a pleasant twinge of Texan drawl. When she smiled her eyes crinkled and the chocolate brown of her eyes almost disappeared. It eased all my tension and I returned her smile with something just as worn but genuine. Since I entered the room I had been using a lot of mental power to avoid looking at Sam. Now there was no excuse not to look at my friend.

Sam was lying on his left side. His bandages began at his right elbow. It covered the entire way up his arm as well as his shoulder and some of his upper back. There was a mask on his face that it was hooked up to a large machine. There was all kind of wires and tubes going in and coming out of him. As if that wasn't enough there was a traction apparatus holding up his broken leg. I began crying. I barely felt like I had any right with his poor mama in the room but I couldn't help it.

Sam was a great boss. He was good person and he was my friend. He didn't deserve this. Rob pulled a chair from the hall and placed on the other side of the bed. I sat and took a few minutes to get a hold of myself. It felt like all I had been lately was crying. Frankly I was ashamed of myself pregnant or not.

"I'm Samantha" I smiled and fought the knee jerk reaction to say nice to meet you. I simply nodded and introduced her Ty and Rob. They gave her civil greetings that were smiles from friendly-Rob especially. He just didn't like having to talk if it wasn't necessary. The room was quite for a few minutes. The beeping of multiple hospital equipment was all that could be heard. I was glad when Samantha broke silence so I wouldn't have to listen as Sam clung onto his life.

"Things looked pretty bad the night they brought him here" She didn't have to say anything for me to know she didn't think this hospital wasn't worth its weight in bandages. Bon Temps was small and close to nothing, nothing, and more nothing. We were lucky to even have this hospital so close by. It was on the outskirts of town and it was only twenty minutes away. "His throat as well as most of his esophagus was scorched and so were his lungs. He just about cooked on the inside" That delightful little phrase made me flinched. She didn't seem to notice. She was stretching all the way back in her chair. Her joints popped in protest of the sudden change from her stagnant positioning. She ended the exercise by running her hands through her hair. "He needed that to keep him alive" She pointed to the mask over her son's face. "He can breathe on his own but it puts too much strain on him" I tried to absorb the good news. Sam was going to be okay that was the important thing that was what I kept telling myself. "There was a little demon in here working on him off the books. There was a lot of infection that the doctors didn't know what to do with. She made his burns better but he is too much pain so they are keeping him under" My eyes pricked with tears. I swallowed them back.

"I'm so sorry" She shrugged.

"Wasn't your doing" Her eyes tightened I didn't know her well enough to know what it meant. Her eyes were fixed on the ring on my finger. Wouldn't it be rich if after getting shot for being a shifter she would have the audacity to discriminate against me for who I married? I pretended not to notice even after her eyes moved to Ty and Rob. They were behind me I couldn't tell what look they gave her in return.

Her cagey expression didn't much agree with her next words. "Sam loves you" Color me confused "He has good sense that boy so I know you don't have anything to do with this but mind yourself around the dead darling their interest in the world of the living aien't the same as ours" Her eyes suddenly looked more alert they had five minutes. It was a warning obviously but it had no place in what happened to her child or so I thought.

I cut right to the chase. There was no way I was going to argue with her over the wounded body of her son but I wanted to know what she was talking about. "Are you saying a vampire had something to with what happened to him?" She nodded. That explained a lot of the hostility I was receiving.

"He was conscious for all of thirty seconds when they found him. He said, 'It was a vampire. Tell Sookie'. He kept repeating it over and over. It actually what made the damages to his insides so bad. He wouldn't shut the hell up" There was an affectionate smile on her face. Sam probably didn't think he would make it. He knew I would do everything I could for him. The night this all happened I was In Arkansas. I was willing to bet money that Eric already knew this. If there a vampire running around doing the dirty work of the fellowship and the like in his he wouldn't tolerate it. Not that he gave a shit about shifters or the two natured as a whole it simply marred the authority of his area and the rule of his state.

I stayed at the hospital. Sam never came around. A few times a nurse came in to top off his dose of pain killers. I talked to his mom. She had a very disturbing sense of humor that was very unlike Sam. She laughed at being shot and said, "Well if that wasn't a way to end a marriage then I don't know what is" Against my protest she showed me the bullet wound. Every few minutes her eyes would flicker over to Sam. As she told me trivial things I saw she just didn't want to think of the state of her child. So we ate hospital food and passed the time together. I was happy to be a distraction for her especially because I couldn't do anything for Sam at the moment.

The sun was setting. I felt Eric hum into my consciousness. It was like having a different part of mind wake up. I felt a quick flare of uncertainty that was almost anxious. The guilt that I had managed to stow away for the majority of the day was back on my shoulders. I couldn't be a hundred percent sure but I thought he was worried because he could feel I wasn't home. The one thing I knew about Eric was that you couldn't tell him anything. He had to see and feel it for himself. He knew how sincere I was when I swore never to put him through anything like that ever again but he was wounded all the same. I wanted to fix this right away but I knew he needed time. I had to let him be.

It felt wrong to leave Samantha all alone in her thoughts. "I have to be going now but I'll come back soon" She nodded. I wrote my number and took hers. "If you need anything call"

"Thanks sugar. Good night" I smiled and left.

Outside the guards had changed. I recognized only members of the pack. Sid gave me smile but that was all the warm greeting I received. The other person he was with was scowling in my direction. He handed Rob and Ty their weapons back. It made me angrier than it should that members of the pack thought I would do something to kill one of them or hurt Sam for that matter. I had helped them out on numerous occasions. Now because I was married to a vampire I just start sanctioning attacks on my friends. The assumption was degrading. No vampire under Eric's command would do something like this without his say so at least that's what I thought. I knew Eric wouldn't. He didn't care enough to.

"Sookie" Rob was addressing me without being asked anything. "You are a friend to the pack" I nodded. "I think you should consider surrendering your title officially. They are no friends to you" No kidding. It was something I had considered several times but I never followed through on because I needed the extra protection. I no longer needed it but if I did it now it would look like I was abandoning them. It wouldn't help with the accusations any. Also Eric was going to be working with them in some capacity to find who this vampire was. We'll just say my honey bunny needed to brush up on his two natured relations as well his human relations. For the time being it was best to just leave this as they are.

Dr. Ludwig was at the house when I arrived. She seemed surprised that I was in one piece or not bleeding. I supposed it was to be expected given all the times she had seen my mangled body. I smiled. She gave me a curt nod. Eric was seated on the arm of a chair I joined him.

"What is the problem?"

"She is with child" Eric delivered it a lot smoother than I could have ever done. His voice was calm and cool and you wouldn't even know that this didn't happen every day for couples like us. Dr. Ludwig looked at me. She seemed scared for my wellbeing. Eric put his arm around me and she relaxed a little.

"The father" She was fishing in her little bag of tricks.

"I am" I could tell he felt otherwise but it never surprised me how vampires could sound so blasé about anything.

Dr. Ludwig's eyes widened. Instead of shock she appeared angry. I suppose she thought we had nothing better than to drag out here to play a practical joke. Let me tell you she wasn't cheap the visit she paid Crystal cost me an arm and a leg. There was a tense second of silence. I kept quiet because I wasn't getting in the middle of their supe staring contest. Eric looked blandly at her and she remained tight lipped.

"I suppose you will be making some examinations" Eric said. He stood up and moved to a chaise lounge. Having nothing else to do the demon nodded. I moved to where Eric was. I rested my head on his lap. The doctor rolled up my dress. She rubbed something on her hands that smelled like incense. She placed both her hands flat on my stomach and her little face was bewildered. Eric was wearing a smile that could be mildly described as smug.

"I can feel two heart beats the beating is irregular it is about a hundred beats too slow"

"Are they well?" Eric asked. He was stroking my hair as he spoke. He sounded strangely anxious. I took his hand and nodded before Ludwig answered. Claude already told me as much. I liked to believe I would be able to feel it if they weren't.

"When was your last menstrual cycle" Her hands still hadn't left my stomach. I had been doing the math over and over. I knew she was trying to calculate how far along I was. Claude said I was about two months. That wasn't possible two months ago I was sleeping with anyone.

"Eight weeks ago"

"Can you recall the first time you were intimate there after?"

"Three weeks" She nodded.

"They are growing at twice the speed of a regular fetus" Eric was brimming with pride. Having a baby was not something I ever thought I would get to experience. I wanted it to last. While they were in my body I could take them everywhere I went; I knew they were safe. I was thrilled and scared stiff at the thought of meeting my children so soon.

"Obviously I have never dealt with this before" She sounded as excited as I thought possible "We will have to learn as we go. I suspect later on you will need blood because they aren't entirely compatible with your body. For the time being just keep up what you have been doing. I should see you every week" She jotted down a long list of all the places she could be reached if she didn't answer her usual number. We worked out a schedule for her visits. Eric insisted on evening appointments. Dr. Ludwig left soon after. When she was gone Gideon came we usually trained on nights whe he and Eric were home. He greeted Eric with a nod then he turned to me.

"Your majesty" Those two words said a whole bunch. I sighed.

0o0o0o0o

o0o0o0o0o

So there you have it another chapter. There was a lot of reflective thinking going on so is anyone convinced that Sookie has learned her lesson or is she waiting for motive an opportunity to ditch? How's about Gideon I think he is nursing his grudge much like a lot of you all are...LOOOOL. Let's all hope he doesn't tell his big sister!

**Chipndalegal.** I hope you enjoyed lucky number thirteen!


	14. Mysteries

Sorry you guys the site is still having issues. It is killing the pace I was setting :(

But we wont let that stop us! :)

This chapter is goes out to the one the only **ebm1** I watched the reviews and you were my two hundredth review. While there is no special prize to give I give you a great big super-sized virtual hug. It makes me feel special and I glad to have you as a reader. Thank you for taking the time to review. Every word is encouraging,

**Eric**

**Chapter Fourteen**

**Mysteries**

When Gideon entered the room the tension between him and Sookie was evident it was made even more so by his overly formal greeting. It left no room for guesses. Sookie sighed feeling both irritation and apprehension. I shot him a warning glance that he ignored. He was privy to all my tumult of the previous night and I regretted it now. It made it hard for him to let his anger with Sookie go. He was my child and a good one at that. His loyalty was with me first and foremost. Gideon was entitled to his emotions and Sookie was entitled to handle this how she saw fit.

Gideon sat so his training could begin. All the while he avoided looking in Sookie's general direction. I am not sure how he knew it would anger her but it did.

"If you have something to say come out and say it" That tactless and confrontational statement came from my wife. It gave Gideon all the invitation he needed. Neither of them were ones to back down from anyone or anything. It was as admirable as it was foolish in both a human and a vampire.

"I have several something's to say" He was still not looking at her. She folded her arms in front of her and waited. It was a sign that they cared for each other. Neither was looking for any outside intervention form me. Both their tempers were rising. I trusted them both not to cause the other harm. "You shouldn't have taken his hand if you didn't mean it" I felt a pang of her regret but outside she was the pillar of hostility. If I were Gideon I would be careful of the next words I uttered.

It was understandable. In this situation he felt like she had wronged me. He was not inclined to let it go as easily as I. He did not know her as well as Pam and me nor had I explained anything to him. They would have to form a relationship separate from the one he and I shared.

They would have to resolve it on their own. How they resolved their dispute would determine the kind of relationship they had. He found a friend in her in the short time that we have shared this house. After all she was the one who found him. To a certain degree he felt abandoned by her-again I felt he was entitled. It made his transition easier to have a human that had lived amongst vampires to whom he could relate with during his early years. Sometimes I would find them discussing the physical difference between the species. She was drawn to him because while he was very much a vampire he still remembered what being human was like. His personality today was the same from the day she met him. I was apt to believe he was challenging her illusion that being a vampire automatically made you what we all became eventually. In short there was no place for me in this.

"Are you angry that I left or that I came back" Gideon seemed to think about it.

"Both and I don't care why you wanted to leave I care about why you are here now" She took a deep breath and her hostile exterior softened. Between the three of us there was a lot of emotion bounding about. As the medium amid the two of them I blocked both ports.

"Not that it's any of your business" He gave her a look that was not friendly but not hostile. It perfectly conveyed his disagreement to her statement. "but I have always known where I wanted to be I just panicked" He looked at her as if he was going to press for details but he thought better of it. He nodded and felt secure in her words. When they had made their uneasy peace his training began. I would explain the circumstances to him later.

Being on the receiving end of Gideon's ability was unsettling. In the beginning when he was learning the basics of it it would creep slowly into the peripherals of my sight and blur my vision. Now it dropped like a tight fold over my eyes showing me things that were not there or nothing at all. He was also able to tamper with my hearing. In both instance his influence was absolute. Sometimes I heard nothing other times it would be songs and sounds I knew were only in my mind. His only handicap lay in his inability to separate his mind from the one he was controlling.

Gideon was attempting to mask his frustration with his continued failure. "I think we should try the opposite" Sookie declared. The exercise was yielding the same results. Any suggestions would be welcomed. I waited for Sookie to explain. "What you do is sort of the opposite of telepathy" That made sense. "Instead of trying to separate your mind from the one you are controlling let it go" He looked at me I nodded to indicate I was ready. I locked my muscles in place and waited.

I knew my eyes were blinking in rapid succession because I felt my lashes batting against each other. All I saw where tropics; endless green and water. The view was aerial. There were sounds of blades like a helicopter. Nothing about my sight or hearing told me I was still in my living room in Shreveport Louisiana. Gideon tapped my shoulder. I knew it was him because his touch was stronger than the one I was expecting. Like a switch that had been flipped my vision and hearing returned. My child was in front of me grinning. He was filled with pride, a little more than pride, arrogance would be more appropriate.

I smiled, he certainly didn't need my approval he had plenty of his own. "I'm freaking awesome" He stated. His speech would drive Pam crazy. According to her many of things that passed for English was a travesty of the worst sort against the language. "Let's test range" He said. I shook my head. Sookie yawned and stretched.

"Lover you should rest" I could feel she was nearing exhaustion. She was going to protest when another yawn over took her. I walked over to her and lifted her off her seat. She smelled of shifter. I did not want to get into any of that tonight. She would have been an asset in dealing with that situation but now I wanted as far away from it all as possible. Her only duty now was to keep our children growing and happy.

To my dismay Sookie insisted on cooking her own meals and cleaning the house. She even tended to the laundry of Gideon and myself. She insisted it made her feel normal. It wasn't the first time I would suggest it but I was pondering getting her more hands to assist her around the house. With children on the way she may be more amendable. That was not likely. Knowing Sookie she would not change her mind.

I joined her in bed and wrapped my body around hers.

"I went to see Sam today" I kept stroking her hair. If she wanted to tell me about her day it was fine but if this conversation was going where I thought I would kill the shifter myself and end it before it began. "You know what happened to him" I made a low noise of accent. We had been dealing with our own dilemma. A half dead mutt was no on my list of priorities. "You know a vampire did it" I nodded. "He wanted me to know he wanted me to help" The hand I had around her waist tightened instinctively. She tensed and I took a second to edit my response to something more appropriate.

"Lover I am sheriff of the area. I am working on it" She didn't turn and give me a probing gaze like I expected. She did not argue. She simply nodded. It was unclear if she was too tired to fight at the moment of if she was taking my words at face value.

While Sookie slept I lay with her as long as I could. I was trapped in one of those rare moments where I was trying to recall details of my human life. Most of time I focused on the opposite those memories were useless here. Sometimes I found uses for reminiscing. Every now and again when something elicited an emotion from me I did not understand or could not rationalize I would revisit those memories. I had been jealous but it took me many months to put a label on the emotion that surrounded Bill when he introduced me to Sookie. The same was true when I just wanted her body but not at her emotional expense.

Tonight I dredged up as many mental photographs of my previous life that l was able. I had been married. My wife's name was Aude. She was my brothers widow and she was older than I. Her demeanor was even. There were no fantasies to be seen through her eyes. I liked her. It was the most I could say. Then love was as foreign a concept as it was before I met Sookie. At her young age Aude had known the death of two children and a husband. We had six children. Together we buried two of them. Alone I buried my wife and our last daughter.

The names of five of our six children were lost in the archives of history I carried around. Apart from Aude I remembered Ivar. He was my oldest son. He resembled his mother but he was all that was best in me. When I was made vampire his face tormented me. I pinned after him the longest. After the faces of my parents faded into the recesses of my mind and the ache for my home and my people were forgotten his smile remained. My only solace was that he was strong and would grow to be an honorable man.

As a husband and father it was my duty to protect and provide. Sons were trained to fight but other than that child rearing was entirely up to the woman. I found myself without a reference point. Usually Pam would be an excellent resource but this news would have to be broken to her delicately. My meeting with her was still some weeks away.

Children have not been part of my life since my human life ended. This was different. My children now would be unique. It would make them targets of both the supernatural and the mortal world the second their existence became known. The only way to protect them would be to fortify my rule. The priorities of my kingdom would have to shift somewhat. It had been my plan to build strength by accruing wealth. Now it would be through lethal force; swift and inescapable. Their father's rule could never and would never go uncontested-ever.

The time came for me to go. I left Sookie a note and went to find Gideon. We had to make rounds through the state.

This house had sixteen rooms. It was the biggest of the homes in the compound. Excluding the day chambers there were five bedrooms that were all equipped to be light tight. There was a room that served as my office. Others were for entertaining. The living room and the den both had ornate fire places. It provided more than enough space for the three of us. I now wondered if I should be considering something bigger. I found Gideon in his room. He no longer had to remain in the house with me. He was gaining hold of his hunger and new physical strength. The need for close supervision was not as crucial but he was happy here for now. Sookie did not mind it.

"Do you have experience with children" He pulled back from his video games to look at me. His expression was aghast.

"Hell no" I needed Pam. While she had no experience she would be more eager to help me gather the information I needed to prepare. He caught onto my disappointment in his answer. "Why"

"Sookie is pregnant" He went from shocked to angry and settled on confused. I explained before his emotions could escape him entirely. He knew a little of the Fae. I explained the circumstances to him in greater detail. When I was finished he opened his mouth but nothing came out. He took another second and finally spoke.

"That's why she ran isn't it" I nodded. His eyes moved up stairs and came back to me. They were riddled with uncertainty. I could already see what he was going to say before he said it. "Maybe you should have let her go"

This life; our life was one of constant threats as young as he was he understood it. He was not saying anything that I hadn't thought of. In truth letting her go into hiding was the obvious thing to do but it wasn't the best thing. I wondered if this is what Anthony was trying to tell me. Would I have to let her go? Mentally I rebuked the thought. That future would not come to be not as long as I still live. If leaving her was the only choice there was I would fight to etch out an ulterior one. Sookie is mine; she belonged to me and with me and so did our children.

"We are strongest together" I answered simply. He nodded. He armed himself and we left the house and walked a few houses away. This was where Indira assigned messengers and handled incoming and outgoing communications around my state. Phones were flawed. While they were fast they could be easily traced and confidentiality was lost.

One of the systems I came up was simple yet very efficient. It created a system of checks and balances. My state was split into three. Rasul was sheriff of New Orleans and its surrounding boundaries. He was familiar with it all. He had earned the title and he had proved his loyalty such as it was. Maxwell was my other sheriff his territory was in the middle of mine and Rasul's. Within those three divisions there were a series of networks. Crucial information was sent in person by me or Gideon. Letters that had been sealed by witches were passed amongst us all. They were hand delivered. In the event someone had managed to intercept one of the transmissions it never held all the information. If they got past the spells they would not have what they needed to decode the message. We also checked in nightly with one another. Mostly Gideon took those calls. It would serve to establish his place his place as my second in command.

Tonight I was meeting to discuss what news we had on Curtis. Pam and I had agreed that he had something to do with the attack in Arkansas. The only problem was he did not have that kind of muscle or audacity. If he was indeed behind it then he wasn't acting alone. His association with Eliza was becoming more public but not official. It could be that they collaborated on the attack and when it went awry they wanted to secure a union. It was excellent guess, but that was all it was. We did not have proof so in the mean time we were just waiting and watching.

It was not Curtis I was cautious of. He was a fool. Eliza was playing him like a fine tuned instrument. She was much younger than he. This fact made him complacent. It blinded him and he could not see she was using him. Eliza herself was a skilled warrior despite her young age. Her ruthlessness was prominent within the ranks of my kind.

"I am making a trip into Alabama" I told my child. We were moving at a slow pace to the main house that I used for meetings.

It would be low key. Pam and I would slip into his state. It was rather bold of us to stroll in uninvited and unannounced but we were not going to fight or make peace. We were going to offer Curtis an out. Isaiah did not agree he wanted to show might in the wake of such an open act of war. A part of me agreed with him but ultimately we all knew he wanted more territory. Pam would not help him claim it so he was going along grudgingly with this plan.

The fate of Curtis did not trouble us. If he would provide evidence or testimony against Eliza we would take our claim before the Ancient Pythoness and leave him out of it. In the court Eliza would lose more wealth than she could afford for her crimes against Pam. It would leave her vulnerable for another monarch to pick off. Even if he gave us nothing useful we would use the meeting to reiterate to him that he had nothing to fear. There was no doubt he was afraid. He would do something stupid and would end him. I wanted to avoid it if it was possible to do so without any personal risk.

"When" He did not like this plan because he already knew he would be left behind.

"Soon" I wanted to dissolve the problem before it became something critical. Gideon could keep watch over Sookie.

The meeting with sheriffs and varying informants did not yield anything I did not already know. I received a progress report on this supposed vampire that ignited the fire at the bar. Then I moved further into Shreveport to meet with the pack master. When we arrived he was expecting to see Sookie. We both had been counting on her as a medium. It would not happen.

"Eric" I nodded. Alcide's hostility towards me was always more potent that was natural between his species and mine. The underlying cause was a woman that had always been far out of his league. In this instance his enmity was magnified. I pretended not to notice. The death of a were was not something any vampire would strop over.

We were both leaning against our cars with our people on either side of us. It was only Gideon and I. He had three others with him. The atmosphere was tense and teeming with violent intent. They were free to try their hand if they deemed themselves strong enough. We all knew they knew better than that.

"I have a tracker on the trail" Even now there were still no leads. It was quite the nuisance. I left my statement as is. Alcide was displeased. He wanted blood. I would have been more than happy to let him search on his own but their hunt would be injudicious. They were angry and wounded over the loss of one of their own. I did not want to risk them attacking the wrong vampire. That was something none of us would take lightly. I owed it to him to make a diligent attempt at finding this vampire and I would do so. If I still found nothing well I would pay a fine and he and his party of mangy mutts can fuck off.

"On both trails?" I did not know what he meant. "There was another attack" I had met with my sheriff not long ago if there was another attack by a vampire I would have been informed. "It was in Montgomery" That was just out of my area and into that of Maxwell's. There was no way Maxwell would have made an error of that size.

"Were the details similar?" I could see the shift on his face go from hostile to hostile and confused. He shook his head.

"This was quiet. It was also the second of the pack master and his brother" Not exactly the details I cared to know but I would let him finish his speech. "He left a restaurant and never made it to his car" He squared his shoulders and looked at me. "It was during the day but there was still smell of vampire" A hard expression replaced my bland one. He was either attempting to get me to aid him by spewing lies or someone was attempting to frame vampires. Both of those possibilities made me wary. It was becoming less and less likely that I was dealing with a simple rogue. I dispatched Heidi to the scene. With the time that has lapsed and the high traffic of the scene I did not hold out much hope of finding a lead. The involvement of the fellowship of the sun or the like was evident if it was a daytime attack. This complicated matters. Humans who committed crimes against us could not be killed on command. It would draw attention to their very obvious enemies. That was just the beginning.

During the next two weeks there had been three more attacks in Louisiana all had been against the two natured. Another fire was set to a home. Two more weres were stabbed to death. There were no trails to be found for the two that had been committed at night. The other day time incident smelled of vampire. The tension was rising as the two natured feared for their lives.

There had been several incidents of vampires and weres crossing paths at night and ending in violence. Rasul reported a brawl in his area. Maxwell was having a difficult time preventing a similar situation almost every night. Alcide kept his pack under his heel to prevent similar situations. He was smarter than I had given him credit for. He knew it would have been counterproductive.

Louisiana was not the only state in which the two natured were unsafe. Rusell was reporting a similar problem as was Stan. None of us cared but we were interested for the same reason. There had been no loss of human life in all this thus far. The states affected and others that weren't was becoming torn as people chose their side. The federal government deemed it a hate crime but was dragging its feet. The American vampire league capitalized on this opportunity. It called for law enforcement to protect its citizens: all its citizens. The results were almost instantaneous. A motley task force was formed and the weres exulted as did my wife. She had spent as much of her free time with Sam. He was recovering but it was slow and painful. It troubled her she feared having to repeat it or worse. With every attack she feared for the friends she had in the were community. For reasons I cannot explain she felt guilty that she was not doing something to help. I did not think the task force would find the people responsible but I felt they would act as a deterrent while the supernatural continued to search behind the scenes.

The night I was going to Alabama Sookie would be spending it at her old farm house. She would be visiting with her Hunter, the fairy and her brother. I watched her as she moved about the room getting her bag together. In just two short weeks her body had changed to accommodate the children she carried. There was a little but well defined bump between her hips. Her body was emanating its own glow separate from the effects of my blood. She was a beautiful sight.

"Lover I will not be available tonight" She gave me a questioning look. I shrugged nonchalantly. "Vampire shit" She laughed. Gideon would be staying behind but he would not be far from her. I was placing him with Compton. I contemplated telling her about my exact plans it but I did not want her to worry. Long before the sun rose tomorrow I would be home again.

0o0o0o0o

Okay, another round of applause for **ebm1**. Wow! My 200th Review! It is really encouraging. Thanks!

Did anyone think the last sentence was ominous?...

I for one am excited that Pam will be seen again. I missed her voice and sarcasm. Fourteen chapters in and there is just all kinds of funny business going on across the board!


	15. A Bad Feeling

This site just can't get right! From now I am just going to advice that you all check the site every four days for an update some people do not receive alerts myself included. The pace I am setting for myself is four days. Okay enough of me ragging on the website…after all free stuff is good stuff.

It makes me laugh though it shouldn't that Gideon is getting under the skin of so many of you. It excites me it was how I envisioned his personality.

This Chapter goes out to **Lyely**. Hooray; Hazzah; Yippee and well just plain great. Thanks for all the little drops of encouragement.

**Eric**

**Chapter Fifteen**

**A Bad Feeling**

When it came time for us to part ways Sookie became apprehensive. I smiled and kissed her. As of late there has always been an air of caution around all that she did. I have tried but she could feel the traces of underlying anxiety that surrounded my emotions when she was not around. I suspected she was misinterpreting it. I did not want her to feel she was the cause of it because she wasn't. I was never fully at peace unless I was with her. The knowledge that she was with child amplified that feeling and it grew in force everyday. No matter how much I could rationalize or justify it I couldn't make her a prisoner in our home even if that was safest. I walked her inside and found that the damages I had done to the structure had been renovated. The fairy had been kind enough to send me a bill. I paid it with no questions asked.

"How mad do you think she'll be if I drain her uncle?" Gideon asked. He was being playful- mostly. There was still a wistful tenor to his voice that told me he very much wanted to do just that. Ordering him about all the time would not teach him to think on his own. I may as well sentence him to death. I answered his somewhat rhetorical question with outmost honesty that cautioned him.

"If you want a taste of fairy he is not the one to start with" The look calculating expression on his face vanished. I could see that he had been considering his chances of tasting fairy blood and not killing the fairy but also not being wounded in the encounter. Such a scenario held a promise of death for one or the other. With his ability he may stand a chance against Dermot but the victory would not be easy. In the event he won I would not be enough to save him from Pam's vengeance nor Sookie's wrath. He adhered to caution. He sighed longingly and moved into the shadows with me; across the cemetery and towards Compton's home. I had no doubt that he was able to survive in the worst of places on very little but Bill's accommodations would not agree with him. He was a person of modern conveniences. Gideon saw Compton's home. He looked at me as if we were lost. Then he let out a long whistle.

"S-H-I-T hooole" He finally whispered. It was my suspicion that he made that comment for Bill's benefit. I had found the one and only thing my children had in common. They both enjoyed getting a rise out of Bill. It was his own fault. He made it all too easy. Compton was visible on the side of his house. He did not respond to Gideon's quip but he did not succeed in appearing unaffected by it either. This was his family home and dated back many generations. Perhaps that explained why he was allowing it to resemble a mausoleum; it would serve as a time capsule to a place that was familiar and dear to him. It was just a guess. I had always had some difficulty understanding Compton not to say I had expended a great deal of mental aptitude trying.

"Your majesty" He bowed at me and included my child in the gesture. In terms of ranking Gideon surpassed him even though he was his elder. We returned his greeting. The only details that I provided Bill were that he was to provide a safe place for Gideon to rest. From the looks of Gideon he was going to use this as an opportunity to test his abilities to survive in the wild. He showed me an image of the cemetery and didn't think there was much of a difference between that and Bill's house. My lip twitched as I fought a smile. I believe Gideon is what humans referred to as an asshole. I gave him approval for his request. He was free to rest where he chose as long as he did not stray form here and chance upon other vampires. That would raise too many questions of my whereabouts.

I pointed across the night in the direction of the house. "Bill, Sookie is there" His annoyance with Gideon faded and he immediately came to attention. I informed him of her location because I knew he would wonder to that part of the woods anyway. I cannot recall the last time their paths crossed but I knew it would please him to have her close by even for one night; even from a distance.

"I am assigning you and Gideon to keep watch over her but keep your distance unless there is need" The last part of my order did not diminish the light in Bill's eye. I dismissed him and he wasted no time. He flitted shamelessly in the direction of Sookie's home; to glimpse at what he once had. He simply couldn't help himself. It should trouble me but it did not. It was reassuring. I knew as long as his feelings for her endured I could count on him to die for her eagerly.

"Here" Gideon handed me several knives in sheaths. He strapped one to each on my ankles. I took a tall dagger and hid it in the inside of my light jacket. He would have kept hiding weapons on my person but I needed to travel light and fast. He was doing this to ease his anxiety of Pam and I strolling into enemy territory. We tried to come up with a means for him to travel with me but nothing was feasible. The drive was too long for us to return in the same night and if we drove we ran a higher risk of being seen. Pam was older and tasks like this suited her. She had a good nose for trouble. She had always excelled at any tasks that required stealth. For something like this there was no one else I would bring.

Gideon knew all the proper steps and procedures to follow in the result of my final death. It was a possibility that I had prepared for. In that eventuality his orders were clear and simple: secure the queen; flee to France. "Do not leave the area until I return" His face hardened but he nodded. I handed him my phone and wallet then I took off into the night air.

"Show off" He muttered dejectedly. I laughed.

It has been a long time since Pam and I headed out like this. It felt familiar. I had lost some time in making the drive to Bon temps but Pam few slower than I did. I intercepted her fifteen minutes outside of our target location. She was wearing knee length trench coat. I had several guesses as to what she was hiding underneath. She saw me looking and grinned. We paired up and flew the rest of the way in silence. Our feet touched down on the roof top of a building at the same time in the same movement we crouched down to await our quarry.

Pam felt more like herself in this proximity especially with her focus on something that suited her particular assets. But I knew she had been hurting-she was still hurting. She had never allowed anything to counter her naturally mordant sense of humor. However during the past few weeks Tristan had worried for his maker. He made several calls to Louisiana imploring me to give her blood. He tried any and all things he could think of to lift her spirits but to no avail. I refused his requests and suggest he block her emotions as I was doing. Her misery was of her own making. If she did not want Dermot then she should free herself of him however she saw fit. If that was who she wanted then she should make him hers completely. The way she handled it disappointed me because I had trained her to be more decisive and precise in her actions whatever they may be.

Our rest point was fifty stories off the ground and our target was not set to arrive for an hour or so. I wanted to talk to her. "Did you get your mural replaced" I asked casually. Her lips mashed into a hard line and her eyes were jaded and sad. She did not answer me immediately. As I looked at her now she did not seem to have the same color about her as she did when she had been with the fairy or before she had known him. She was not my Pam.

"No. It is still in pieces" That answer was directed at more than my question.

"Have you tried to fix it?"

She shook her head. "I'm not sure I want to. I do not even know where to begin if I did but mostly I am not sure that I should" Her hands were wrapped around her knees and her posture was one of resignation. I couldn't be sure but I was sure my child had just committed an act of cowardice-odd. This was very unlike her. Her entire statement had been a lie. She knew exactly what she wanted and how to get it.

My tone was cold. "I do not think he hit your head hard enough or perhaps he hit you too hard" She said nothing and the conversation died for a few minutes.

"What am I supposed to do?" The anger that I had felt brewing inside her leaked into her tone. "I had something good and I fucked it up! You were right. Tristan was right. Now can you please tell me what to do! Save your wisdom and your guidance. Master please, just please tell me what to do to make him come back" Her lip was trembling and knew she was fighting to keep her tears unshed.

I pulled her from her position and held her to me much like I did the first night she woke to this life. She clung to me and all her pain was suddenly pressed to the surface. It told me she had been making an effort to suppress it all in order to enjoy the time we had together. I found the bond we shared within me and flooded it with calm. I hushed her with a gentle rocking. Pam was no longer my only child or my second in command. While I had no sympathy in the matter I still regretted her suffering. Her happiness was of great importance to me it always been.

My hand was brushing her displaced hairs back towards the band that held them up from her face. "No one, not I even I can provide you with that answer" Her face was still in my chest but she nodded slowly. She already knew as much. Had I known what to do I would not offer her the solution. I did not know the exact reasons that surrounded the ending of her affair with Dermot. I knew it could have been prevented had she already learned the lesson she was asking me to explain to her now. She was young. Her error was made through inexperience and fear of things that she could not control. It caused her to lose sight of things that she indeed had control over. Pam was smart. Whether it was matters of the heart or politics I was confident she would prevail.

I held her and waited for her to regain her composure. It did not take long. She lingered because my contact brought relief that went deeper than what she had felt for months. I was thinking of a simpler time. When it just Pam and myself we hunted and enjoyed each other's bodies and worried nothing of the world around us. We have weathered many storms together, some I only survived because of her. Everything was different now. I was going to be a father in the biological sense and she had a kingdom to rule and a husband whose steps she had to monitor.

"Sookie is with child" I whispered. I could repeat that phrase a thousand times and it would still sound new. There was a smile on my face and it threw Pam. She was expecting my despair at her seemingly obvious infidelity. In the same manner I explained to Gideon I explained it to her. She had more of an idea what a gift it was she was still rendered speechless.

"How did she take it?" she finally asked. She had pulled from my hold and was sitting with her legs folded under her.

I let out a sigh. "Typical Sookie"

"She ran" Pam said those words with absolute certainty. I nodded even though it really wasn't question. She thought over it. A smile that lit her blue eyes suddenly painted her face.

"A baby shower" She said. I shook my head. She had a long standing obsession with human rituals and rites of passage especially those that pertained to femininity. We fell into a companionable silence.

Despite her emotions of prior Pam became the sentinel I trained her to be. As the task at hand drew closer there were no remnants of intimacy we shared. There was only single minded ferocity. We descended in the back lot of the building. Curtis was pulling in with his people. He was traveling light because he was deep within his comfort zone. On my mark Pam and I nosedived off the roof and crept into the shadows. She landed directly in front of them I was directly at their backs.

All at once they shifted into defensive positions. Snarls exploded through exposed fangs. We remained where we were. I folded my arms. This was for Pam to handle. I was here because I did not trust Isaiah to cover her back and Tristan was not strong enough in the event they tested her.

Pam looked bored and glanced furtively at her finger nails as if it would ease the tedium of their hostile display. "Had we wanted you dead it would already been so" she was looking directly at Curtis. He looked like he was contemplating making a run for it. "Curtis calm yourself" She chided. He glared at her but took her words to heart. He stood tall and squared his shoulders. "That's more like it" Pam encouraged. Her tone was mocking. We all knew if a fight broke out Pam and I would walk away from it. He waved his guards away. The promise of violence that surrounded the scene dissipated. "I have come to talk to you" He nodded for her to continue. "You have nothing to fear from myself or my husband or our sister state. We mean you no harm but I know very well what you did. I know you are not alone. Give us your accomplice and you will receive complete amnesty"

Curtis laughed completely unabashed at the accusation. He did not bother pretending not knowing what Pam was speaking of. It could all be forgotten. We were vampires his attempt on her life was nothing personal. She was a threat it was as far as it went. "I am not a fool Ravenscroft" That was still yet to seen. "I do not want amnesty I want in on the alliance" His eyes moved to me and he answered the question of his foolishness. "I will give you whatever you desire" His lips wrapped round the last word like a caress. Marrying him was beneath me on so many levels it was not worth labeling. Pam smiled.

Pam gave a carefree wave of her hand. "Keep your coconspirator" She took a step closer. Her distance wasn't threatening or even disrespectful. She stood eye to eye with a vampire four hundred years her senior. "I do not need to know that I have other more important knowledge. I know you fear the boundaries of Amun closing in about you. I know you fear being herded into a place where your age affords you nothing" Curtis's second was barely able to contain his aggression. Pam ignored him. "Fear is a disease and you my friend are rank with it. It is enough to make one foolish" My eyes were on Curtis and his second. I could see he was considering the probability of her words. I did not hear his response; I just saw his lips moving but my mind was far away. Something was beginning to feel off key.

Usually when those who are dead lurk in the night animals had the instinct to avoid them. It went without saying that as we congregated in the night it was quiet for miles around; no birds; no insects; nothing. It hadn't been this quiet when we arrived. The quiet that we were in was too profound. I could not hear the leaves rustle in the cool breeze of the night. It was time to go. I signaled Pam and she vanished as if she had never been.

"Think about it Curtis" I would guess he had many thoughts when I followed into the air after Pam. None of those thoughts were the offer he had been made. We narrowly avoided the ambush that was meant for him. Pam had not flown off as I thought. She was a great distance from the place we had been. Her form was hidden behind a tree and I found a similar hiding place close beside her. From this distance I could see they were buried in bodies. We remained still and quiet as Curtis and his people were wiped out. Curtis fought bravely but it wasn't enough. They stood no chance.

Pam and I watched without being seen. We wanted no parts of this. In fact it would cause many problems if anyone spotted us at the scene of his final death. The last thing either of us needed was to be accused of not following protocol. Our objective was now to leave as soon as possible without joining the conflict or being seen.

What troubled me was from where I was I should have been able to decipher who the assailant had been. They had to be vampires. That was just an assumption because it would have taken many more of another species to overwhelm Curtis. I eyed Pam. She appeared to be concentrating intently but she also appeared perplexed. I knew she was having the same trouble. We were attempting to catch a scent but we were not downwind as not to give our positions away. The smell of blood and ash was heavy in the night. Had they been vampires?

Pam moved slightly just a small shift from her place to allow herself a better chance to make a visual identification. It drew attention of the attackers that were now cleaning the scene. Luckily the back door of the building opened. Humans with no connotation of the dangers they were in stopped their advance in our direction. Pam and I waited a few minutes before we made our departure. The minute we took off we made for the quickest exit out of Alabama. We did not stop until we well passed Mississippi and Pam literally had one foot in Arkansas the other was in a desolate grey area between our two states. I had both of mine set firmly within the borders of my lands.

"That was a waste" She mused out loud.

I nodded in accent. "Someone saved us the trouble" The question was who. Eliza was the most likely suspect. It may have been her intent to end him once he had served his purpose. Either that he was deemed a threat to whoever else he had been working with I had no doubt he had an accomplice. My only lead was gone. More importantly he would solve the Eliza problem had he cooperated. I was inclined to suspect that someone was attempting to frame us but it was close to impossible. No one knew we would be there aside from her child and mine. The information I came across was public knowledge. Curtis frequented that place. He owned it in part. A set up was not very likely. If someone came to take Curtis out and knew two other royals would be present and unguarded. It was an impossible temptation. They either would have come with enough force to overwhelm us all or the proper means to frame us thoroughly for the crime but neither happened. All that was left to do now was to wait and watch; a frustrating an unappealing prospect.

The trek back home form the border of my state was slow. There were many hours before dawn and I wanted to think things through.

Half way between Shreveport and Monroe I caught an unmistakable aroma: fairy. It was not Dermot. He had become very familiar to my scenes. I stopped walking and took up a defensive position.

"I come in peace" a serene voice called from the shadows. I could pin point the direction of the voice but only a vague outline of the owner. I remained on my post and waited for him to show himself entirely. This Fae was not familiar but he held some resemblance that I could not place at the moment. He showed himself and I could see he was alone. His steps were slow and fluid and exuded the grace that was all but guaranteed for his species. He placed himself directly underneath me and waited for me to descend.

I had never been a believer in coincidences this encounter was as far from one as it could get. His mouthwatering scent pulled at the string of my concentration but I forced myself to focus. No fairy would seek out a vampire or remain in the vicinity where one was walking in the night. The only way to figure out what he wanted was to talk to him. His scent was blowing freely in the wind. I kept my distance. I did not want to risk draining him until I knew what he wanted. There was a terse moment where we regarded one another. I appeared bored but I was analyzing him.

He appeared to be struggling with his words, not only that I could tell he was uncomfortable in this plane. I knew the portals were still sealed. Those who chose to stay were the once with attachment to this world. It was obvious he did not frequent this world. That in itself was a warning; his presence here was ill begotten.

"I have come to ask an audience with your queen. It is a matter of great importance" That was the wrong fucking thing to say. My face did not betray any emotion but I was contemplating tearing his head from his shoulders. Even if she were not carrying my children I would not have allowed it. The last fairy who had requested the same thing of me was Niall. In doing as he asked I had opened the door for all the horrors that Sookie suffered during the war and the ensuing pain the separation caused her in the end of it all; never again. Whatever he wanted Sookie for he could either tell me or he could leave while I was still unresolved on ending his life.

"I will determine the importance of the matter" I was not interested in the least. I wanted to know what the repercussions would be when I killed him. There was no longer an "if" in the matter. Fairies had to learn to keep their shit in their own world. Most importantly they had to learn to leave my wife out of it.

Sensing where this was going he opened his palms out to me. It was not so much a gesture of submission as it was to reiterate his accretion that he had come in peace. It finally came to me. The fairy in front of me resembled the Prince. The shape of his face was the same. He had also aged to the point where his face was wrinkled but not worn.

Niall had not granted her the ability to bare my children without expecting something in return. This was the payment. "I come to ask for her help. My people; our people need her" My fangs descended in response.

"I would not be here if there was any other way" I flew towards him. He skittered back several feet and vanished.

0o0o0o

0o0o0o

That sums up chapter Fifteen so it seems we are making a supernatural cocktail: One part vampire, two parts were or shifter, one quarter Fae equals recipe for DISASTER!


	16. Supernatural Emissary

This Chapter is dedicated to **Modiggy**. I read some of your reviews on days when I am slacking on editing. It puts some pep in my step. What with you telling me to hurry with every update :D

I love it! Enjoy the chapter and like always tell me what you think, (Yes I already know to hurry, loooooool)

Sookie

Chapter Sixteen

Supernatural Emissary

Dinner with Dermot and Hunter was always nice. Tonight however Hunter wasn't very talkative. He was a five year old-scratch that he just turned six. The point was he was always talking. Remy dropped him off but he too was kind of tight lipped. I didn't want to pry but I was concerned. Usually when it was just Dermot, Hunter and I we would have dinner and play a board game or watch a movie. Hunter was standoffish and wasn't much in the mood for any of it. Dermot looked at me as if I knew something he didn't I shrugged my shoulders. Hunter was doing a good job shielding so I couldn't pick it out of his head.

"Would you like to hear a story?" Dermot asked. I gave him a warning glance. I had once over heard him telling Hunter a story while I made dinner once. Though Hunter loved it, it was far from appropriate and it certainly wasn't the type of thing you wanted a child to repeat to others. Hunter shook his head to decline. That was all Dermot had up his sleeve. He was looking at me to try something. I couldn't get anything out him.

I was also disappointed Jason didn't bring Michele. The answer to that little riddle became clear when it came time for him to leave. My brother is not smart but he had good instincts even before he became a bitten were. He loved me. I was inclined to believe that he wouldn't intentionally do anything to hurt me. None of the things I knew about him would explain why he had brought Alcide and Calvin and a few others pack masters I was not familiar with to my uncle's house unannounced for the sole purpose of speaking with me. My mood had been elated at spending an ordinary evening with the few remaining members of the family I had left. A meeting with Pack masters was nothing if not a buzz kill.

At the back door Dermot and I were standing next to each other. There was an assortment of people forming a loose line around the door. I could only make out the faces closest. No one of them asked to be invited in and we didn't offer.

"Aren't you going to invite us in?" Alcide said. He had the nerve to sound reproachful. I glared at him.

"Not my house anymore" I said. They looked at Dermot and let me tell you if he screamed "fuck off" it would have been more subtle than the look of utter disgust he served through the crowd of two natured. I gave Jason a version of it. The only reason I wasn't slamming the door in all their faces was because Hunter was sleeping. I knew why they were here. It was open season on weres and shifters and I wanted no parts of it.

Sam and JennaLynn were the first on a list that was growing. Some of my friends were part of that world. I worried that the next time an attack happened it might be one of them and they wouldn't be as lucky as Sam. Vampires were suspected at least in the first incident but another was during the day. It was a real head scratcher. If that wasn't enough to negate vampires different sects of the FOTS were claiming responsibilities for the crimes. They could hardly pin that on vampires. With that being said it minimized the issue on Eric's list of priorities but he said he was looking into it. I believed him. He wanted me to stay out of it, I wanted to stay out of it and I had told him I would. They had been given a task force by the government. Long before I came along the packs and the supernatural world have endured. They didn't need me.

"Come on now" Jason said. He was as uncomfortable as a rat in a snake pit. Between Dermot and I he was in grave danger of being slapped clear into next week. He didn't meet our eyes. "They are worried about their families and friends" He said. The look on Dermot's face said, "So what". I couldn't appear as nonchalant. They knew they had me then.

"I know you didn't care about Jenna" Alcide said. His words cut at me and his face was a mixture of pain and anger. No matter how much I disliked her I would have never wished that on her or Sam. "But I at least thought you would want to help find out who did this to Sam" I hated Alcide for this. I knew he was trying to say any and everything for me to personally get involved in this.

"That's not fair" I said. I had sent cards and flowers to the pack and her family even though I didn't know them. I had been with Sam at the hospital as much as I could. I was trying not to sound angry because Alcide was my friend and he was going through a lot but he was pushing it. I tried to step out onto the porch but Dermot had a mighty firm grip on my wrist.

"I'm going out to talk to them since you won't invite them in" I said. My uncle resigned himself and nodded. He muttered something under his breath about poignant odors along the way. They entered and we all pretended not to hear him.

"We have to work with your vamps on this. We don't trust them and we know they don't give a shit" He was two for two but the same could be said of weres from a vampire stand point. I was going to interrupt but he stopped me. "We trust you and we want you in this"

I was shaking my head and my hands were wringing under the table. "Alcide I can't" The words were a whisper and there was a lump in my throat. I wanted him to know I cared but I had to draw a line. I was pregnant and I couldn't just go off with them anymore because they needed me. It wouldn't have been that easy to just run off with them anymore anyways. Some of the bureaucratic red tape Eric had explained to me made my head spin. I was sworn to uphold vampire law and all that. If I did this it would have to in no way jeopardize that. There was no guarantee of that.

More importantly my children needed me to keep them safe and safe was in the opposite direction from which he was asking me to go. The rest of the people he came with gave me looks that went from condemning to unfazed. Calvin thankfully wore a grim face but he nodded solemnly at me in understanding. It helped but I still felt about as low as a snakes belly. I was keeping my head held high with effort.

Alcide didn't let it go. I tried to give him reassurances; at least the government was doing something to help; and this would help their cause to avoid registration. As I sold him that dream I too was trying to believe it. It did very little to appease my conscience because I hadn't had the luxury of naivety for many years now. I knew none of those things would really make a difference. The two natured were on their own for the most part and they had to depend on the help of vampires. Alcide tried every which way he could to get me to budge but I didn't. I just couldn't.

I wanted to get this over with. "You have asked me for a lot more than you ever had the right to. I have done a lot more for you than I ought to have" It was the truth and I was tired of acting like it wasn't. So what if I didn't want to help because I was scared? That wasn't the case but what was so wrong with that? In the name of a one sided friendship I have risked my neck for a pack that wouldn't have done the same for me. I knew he cared about me but when push came to shove he would have to put his pack first. That was part of the reason why he was trying to force me into doing something that could potentially be dangerous for me. I didn't hold it against him but he shouldn't hold my decision against me either.

There pretty much wasn't anything to say after that and they left but the tried. "A few years ago I would have never had to ask" He said standing in defeat. I have heard that before and sadly enough it had worked. He was clearly pointing out that I was no longer the same person. I wasn't sure if he was trying to say I was a worse person then or now. It didn't matter. I wasn't the same person and neither was he. If this was the end of our friendship then I would watch him go with a heavy heart but I wouldn't stop him.

"A few years ago you wouldn't have me help you at my expense" Alcide was my friend even as we were glaring at each other I still cared about him. I just wasn't going to let it cost me more than I was willing to give; not anymore. My brother didn't stay behind when they left. I thought it wise.

In all the commotion I didn't realize Hunter had woken up. He was standing in the door way of the kitchen. I was worried he was scared but he was still glum. Dermot went to pick him up and sat him on his lap.

"You know you can tell us if something is wrong right sweetheart" he looked at me and crawled into my lap then he clasped his little hands around my neck like a vice. I held him to me and patted his back.

"I won't ever see you again aunt Sookie" he was already crying and he didn't bother trying to speak out loud. He let his shields fall away and I saw what was bothering him. Remy had lost his job. In fact he had been out of work for many months now. Every time he had looked and failed Hunter saw it in his mind but he never said anything to anyone. It had been scaring him. Hunter just showed me images of his father's defeated and haggard face and he was sobbing. Remy had tried everything he could to remain in this part of the world but the only chance he had now was to move up north. He had a cousin there that could help set up a job for him. His bags were all but packed. This was indeed the last time I was going to see him.

"It's okay Hunter" I kept repeating it and I was trying to find a way to make it so. Hunter was all that was left of Hadley. I wanted him close by. It wasn't to satisfy a maternal urge. He was family. It wasn't right for him to have to deal with his telepathy all alone. He quieted down eventually. Dermot teleported out of the house and went to a bakery in Monroe to get him a chocolate dessert that was to die for. He ate it a fraction of it halfheartedly then he went back to bed.

"Make his father stay" Dermot said. He plopped down next to me on the sofa. With his ability to sense emotion he was a little crabby at the end of the night. Hunter's downcast mood had worn on him. I rolled my eyes. I couldn't make anybody do anything. The man was doing what he felt was best for his child. Who could blame him for that?

Remy was independent and proud and I knew he would never take money from me. He hated to feel like he was burdening me with Hunter whenever he had to leave him here, no matter how many times I have said I didn't mind. The way he saw things was it was he and Hunter against the world. It was sad. Having a child was hard. Having a telepathic child that frightened sitters, other children and teachers was even more so. No one should have to do that alone.

I was sure there was something I could find within the vampire ranks of this state but that was not something I would do to someone I hated. The answer hit me like a ton of bricks. I would call the person that told me about Remy and Hunter in the first place; Copley Carmichael. It seemed so obvious. He needed to remain in Eric's good graces because right now all construction and building projects that came up for Louisiana's vampires went right to him. Pam was even using him to rebuild her country estate. I was a believer that Copley would do me a favor but in this instance I was not above asking Amelia to get in his ear. He could help me help Remy without Remy ever knowing or feeling like he owed me something.

I found my cell phone and flipped through it. Dang! All I had was an office number. I called David.  
"I need to speak with Mr. Carmichael. It's important" I rarely ever asked David for anything. We had a comfortable rhythm. He was very good at what he did and he was even better at anticipating Eric's needs. He managed my day time calendar and he oversaw a few other humans that worked for Eric.

"Yes Mrs. Northman" he just refused to call me Sookie. I had long stopped fighting him on it. I got off the phone but kept it in my hand and waited. A half hour later my phone was ringing. The caller i.d showed a blocked number. It had to be Copley himself.

"What is the matter Sookie?" I took a deep breath so I wouldn't jump into Remy's whole life story. I would state what I wanted and not take no for an answer.

"Remy Savory I want you to hire him" Gosh I really wish I could read minds over the phone. I was afraid I had been overly direct but it was too late to do anything about it now.

"Your late cousin's husband" At least he remembered. That would save me some explaining.

"Yes"

"What does he do?" I felt kind of silly because I didn't know. I had never asked him. He didn't do manual labor like my brother.

"I don't know" I mustered up as much bossiness as I was comfortable with and continued. "He needs a job otherwise he has to move and want him here"

"One second" he said. The line was quiet the receiver was being muffled by his hand or something. I waited and waited. When Copley returned to line he had all the information I thought one man could get about another without an autopsy or intersourse. He had the name, position and salary if his previous employer. I didn't need to know all this but I was too stunned to stop him as he ran down Remy's list of qualifications and education.

"You want me to keep him close to me" He asked.

"No" I didn't need him to spy on the man. I knew he was a good person who just needed a break. "That's not necessary just something that pays well, and that's secure" I said. On the other end of the phone he was making small noises of agreement. "With benefits" I felt like I had pushed my luck enough on the matter. A single dad should have benefits. I would have killed for benefits when I worked at Merlotte's. I figured I pushed my luck as far as it would go on the matter.

"While I have you on the phone" Here we go. I stifled a sigh. "Did you get the invite for the governors ball" That wasn't so bad I had already planned on going it was part of Eric's human relations campaign. I had once laughed at the idea but he was gaining a steady stream of support from the masses.

"Will I see you there" Copley answered with a laugh. He was satisfied he had gotten his way.

"Yes. How soon do you need this Remy thing done?"

"Tonight if you can manage it please" I had my fingers crossed. I didn't know when Remy was going to leave exactly. I also wanted a solid answer for Hunter when he woke up.

"Done, I assume you want anonymity on all this"

"Yes please, thank you" The phone was still in my hand even though Copley was long gone. I couldn't believe I had actually done it. Remy would be offered a job and granted he wanted to stay he would take it and Hunter wouldn't have to leave. While I couldn't fix the problems of the supernatural I was glad I was able to help Hunter and his dad. Their problem wasn't life or death but I did what I could and I was satisfied with it. When you can't change the world you do only what you can.

The next day Copley delivered as he promised. That wasn't what woke me. Hunter came to my old room. (Dermot usually slept upstairs when I came over). Thankfully he decided to poke my ribs instead of jumping on top of me.

He was whispering and I could tell he was anxious "There are men outside the door aunt Sookie. They have fuzzy heads" I smiled at his description. Rob and Ty were already here I assumed.

"It's okay sweetheart" I wasn't fully awake I pulled him back to lie down nothing doing he was already awake and I had to get up too. The hardest thing for me to let go of was coffee.

I was still completely whelmed by the fact that I was pregnant. I knew at some point I was going to have to kick the caffeine now was a good a time as any. Going off the rough estimates Dr. Ludwig provided my children were almost the size of three month old fetuses but I was only coming into my sixth week of pregnancy. I felt my body was beginning to register the fact. I could feel a little bump on my stomach that thrilled me every time my hands wondered there which was just about thirty seconds. I felt I could still get away with my normal attire for some time. Mainly I was going to have to stick to sun dresses to provide some obscurity from those supes who couldn't keep their overly hyped senses out of peoples business. I had no idea what I was going to say to people who asked. The wide spread assumption of be being unfaithful to Eric would bother me but it was probably for the best.

Hunter was helping me make pancakes. Dermot had shoved a few bites into his mouth and left. Claude had been on vacation or something and he needed Dermot at the club almost full time. My uncle was less than thrilled about it. People or every species tried his patience. To make matters worse I didn't imagine Claude was grateful. It was just Hunter and I in the house I was trying to block it from my mind but I was waiting for the phone to ring. As a distraction I got him dressed to head out side to play. Dermot had bought him all kinds of things to play with. Unlike me he never had a hard time getting him to receive gifts. Some of the more expensive ones I had him keep here because Remy wouldn't understand and I didn't want him to feel upstaged by Dermot.

I introduced Hunter to Rob and Ty we spilt into teams of two. Hunter played with Rob because he said Rob looked stronger. Rob didn't smile but he came dangerously close. The four of us played a few games of soccer. It went without saying that we let Hunter and Rob win even though Ty was fuming about it. When it got too hot to play outside I served drinks and snacks. Rob and Ty left after their drinks even though I said there was no need. Dermot had set up all kinds of wards on this land. When he agreed to move in I had confessed that all kinds of supes knew I lived here. My uncle's only response was grin that showed sharp teeth. In a twisted way he was a better vampire then he was a fairy.

Remy came for Hunter late in the afternoon he was a little late but I hoped it was for the reason I thought. I was more excited to see him than Hunter was. In fact Hunter felt the opposite. We had done such a good job being busy and having fun he hadn't thought much about his possible relocation. His father's presence brought it to the fore front of his mind and he was clinging to my skirt when I tried to open the door.

"_Hunter I promise it'll be okay." _I wanted to sound optimistic and reassuring but I didn't want him to ask me how I knew. I don't even think he heard me. He jumped right into having a fit.

"_No it won't!"_ His mental pitch was a few octaves shy of a scream_ "I'll have to go away and I'll be the only freak"_ Learning how to shield wasn't what would make his life less miserable I saw that now. It was the way he viewed himself because of what he was. It was the one thing I hadn't showed him and I should have. His words had made me angry. Of course I wasn't angry at him. I was angry with myself. I had used that word to describe myself so many times. Hearing how much he believed it and seeing how much he despaired made me turn on him. He looked a little scared at the fierce expression on my face. Remy was knocking but I ignored him.

"_Never say that about yourself, ever again"_ My hands were gripping his shoulders as if I could transfer what I wanted him to know. As it turns out I could and I did. No one could ever make him feel like that if he didn't let them. He nodded. I picked him up. He started crying. "_Stop it you are gonna hurt your daddy's feeling acting like you aren't happy to see him" _He wiped his face and the poor thing squared his little shoulders and braced himself.

Remy opened the door the smile he had been wearing faltered. He may not be a telepath but he knew his kid. We sat down and hunter confessed he knew they were going to have to move. I hoped Remy wouldn't piece anything together. While I was off in the living room pretending I didn't know what was going on it came to me that I was being highhanded. If Eric could see me now I was sure I would never hear the end of it.

"_We are gonna stay!"_ Hunter exulted. His thoughts were full of joy and I couldn't find it in myself to frown at my highhandedness. Briefly Remy told me he had been struggling to find work but he was okay now. I congratulated him and when they left I headed home too. I missed Eric. When I was getting into the car I felt something. I can't really explain what it was. It felt like a fairy, a fairy I knew. They were just outside the range of my telepathy so I couldn't confirm with a mental signature.

"Sookie what is it" Ty asked. He was holding the door open for me but I was hesitating and staring off towards the woods.

"It's nothing" the feeling vanished just as suddenly as it appeared.

0o0o0o0

As if they didn't have enough issues. Now who could that fairy be? I hear a lot of people saying Niall.

I am curious as to why you guys are so sure its him? Or maybe I'm just saying that to throw you off the trail…Moohahahahaha {twirls mustache fiendishly} We'll have to wait and see.

**Modiggy** take another bow! You deserve it!


	17. Plans

Phew! {wipes sweat off brow} It seems the website has worked out all its kinks and bugs! It sure makes my life a whole bunch easier.

0o0o0

Onto more important matters… {Pretend drum rolls please} The votes are in ladies and gentlemen and the dedication for this chapter goes to… the one the only…**Vlady! Hooooooooray!**

**Vlady** I have been loving your reviews since the days of writing the Viking and the Valkyrie. Thank you for sticking around and thanks for all the reviews and all the words of encouragement. It means the world!

**Eric**

**Chapter Seventeen**

**Plans **

Sookie was home. Our bond was swimming with comfort and relief. She was in the house but I wanted her even closer. I wanted much more than sex. Her touch; her taste; it lulled me in a way nothing else could. I was sure she wanted to tell me something she never got the chance. I closed the distance between us before she could utter her words of greeting. My lips were crushing down on hers. The only thing between our bodies was a flimsy piece of white silk she wore. Her back was against the wall she used the leverage to wrap her legs around me. I could feel her heat against my bare stomach. Before I placed her on the bed I pulled off her slip.

Despite how desperately I wanted her. I took my time. I kissed my way up her legs from her finely shaped calf's to her inner thigh. She was already whimpering and squirming in anticipation at the things to come. I was delicate. The kisses I placed upon her center were chaste and slow. I licked the length of her and she let out a moan that reverberated along my spine. My fingers entered her and my thumb made deep circles on her clit. Her fingers were fisted in my hair and I could feel her eyes on me. When I bit she cried out as the force of her release overtook her. Her hold on me didn't loosen as I drank from her. I closed the wound and made my way up her body.

I was beginning to believe that my body no longer belonged to me. It belonged to Sookie entirely. Every touch seemed to bring us closer together. It was hard to know where she ended and I began. I have had countless lovers that had been more skilled but being with her was the best, burying myself inside her felt so right it was impossible to imagine anyone else. Her hips rose and her back arched to take me deeper. She bit into me with enough force to break my skin; it produced the perfect amount of pain. I was undone; my body quivered and I let it lay motionless on top of her. She pulled on the wound and moaned in pleasure with a mouth full of my blood. I couldn't stop the steady stream of growls that escaped me. It was a noise of a creature losing its self.

I rolled off her though I knew she didn't mind the weight. Her breathing was still irregular as I pulled her to me. My hands roamed to her stomach where our children were growing.

"Can you feel them move?" I asked. She shook her head and her fingers intertwined with my own.

"It's too soon" There was a slight smile on her face and I knew as we lay here discussing our children she felt complete and nothing would ever bring her this much happiness. "I can't wait" She added. I kissed her head and I shared in her excitement.

"Do you think we will need a bigger place?" She laughed until she saw it was a serious question. It wasn't that I thought our children would need the space. When they were born Sookie will need extra help during the day. A bigger place will provide her with the privacy she needed with others around her.

"No" She answered. I explained my reasoning to her and she shrink from at the notion in its entirety. "The setup of the complex is convenient so you don't have to go far to work" I shrugged. Relocating for me has been a part of living. It meant nothing but I wanted her to be happy and have what she needed wherever we may be. "This just started feeling like home I don't want to move. Plus I don't want to be shielding in my own house" I thought she could at least use some help with cleaning it irked me that she insisted on doing that chore on her own but I did not argue.

"If you change your mind…" she kissed me.

"You will be the first one to know" I nodded. It would have to do.

"You should make a list of things that you think they will need" I had no idea what those things would be. Their needs maybe similar to that of normal human infants or it may differ entirely I wanted to prepare for any eventuality.

"Can I ask you something?" I nodded.

Her question caught me unawares. Rarely did she ever ask me how I felt on an issue. When she could not register my emotion through our bond she assumed I did not want her to know. In that event she did not press it. This was uncharted waters she struggled with words not wanting to hurt of offend me. "How do you feel about all this?" She applied pressure on the hand I still I had resting on her stomach. "I mean I know you have…I wanted to know how you feel about being a father in the biological sense again" The underlying question within the one she asked was, Do I feel like this was a burden and another weakness?

It is a fundamental difference. No matter how much I loved her I am a vampire. My aspirations in this life differ from hers and that from any human. Making a child was useful and necessary but infants had no place in my world. It was different with her and them. She knew that. She did not doubt my love for them or her. She merely wanted to know how I felt on something that should not have been a part of my life but now was. I explained it to her as best as I could.

"I am honored that you will give me something that no one of my kind has; something that was supposed to have been lost to me" Raising a child from its early stages would change any vampire if the emotional attachment was deep. In my mind I did not see much of a difference in providing for my vampire children and my half human children. I would protect them all and the elder ones would be charged with the younger ones. The only worry I had was that this would make me less of a vampire and less effective as the person charged with their safe keeping.

It was the only difference. The children Sookie and I shared would hold a part of her on this world long after she was gone. "I will have a living testament to the love we shared" I whispered. It was my hope that our children would be enough to make her stay. The reality was that one day it could be just us-no Sookie. Time would force me to face that. I could not allow myself to fall apart because I would have to carry on for our children. Oddly enough now that we were facing parenthood I did not want to revisit the topic. I did not want her to feel like a prisoner of this life if she chose it. Her choice it must always be her choice. She never replied to my response. I knew she was deep in thought but I did not ask and she did not offer.

The topic moved to our previous night apart. It angered me that the Alcide would undermine my decision to keep Sookie far from the dangers that surround his kind. It angered me but it did not surprise me. I would have done the same in his position. In fact I would have used more devious means to get the help I felt I needed. I knew it pained her to refuse him but it was for the best and she knew it.

"We have to go to the governor's ball" She informed me. In a word: ghastly. My campaign for human relations was going quite well. I had a publicist as well as Copley Carmichael between the two I had invites to all the important human affairs. Most of the events I sent underlings in my stead; Bill Compton most specifically. He was still interested in human things and humans were not as wary of him as they were the majority of us. He had a reassuring air about him. While Pam would call it boring, humans called it safe.

"I am already sending Compton" She shook her head which surprised me. She was always more than pleased when I gave her an out for these kinds of things.

It pleased me to see her throwing her weight around. It was to be expected that she wasn't using it for her own benefit but I was still pleased. "I told Copley we would go" I arched an eyebrow for her to explain. That was most usual she liked Copley well enough but she did not have to deal with him directly.

"He did me a favor. Hunter's dad was going to move unless he found a job so I called Copley and he hinted that he wanted us to go to the governors ball because he was going" I nodded. Finding a means to make him remain here was safest. I have known for a few months now that like my wife Hunter was a telepath. I have told no one not even Pam. I did not want to tempt her. It was why Sookie never brought him here. It was wise of her to keep him a secret. He was just within the boundaries of my area so I had claim to him as an asset if the need arose. Had he moved to another state and his abilities were discovered there was nothing that she would have been able to do to protect him. At his young age the temptation to kill his father and raise him to belong to a vampire would have been too tempting for most of my kind to resist.

"I would hate to have Hunter far away" she added. She seemed to make some decision internally before she continued speaking. "He is like me" Her eyes were holding mine but I betrayed no emotion. He was safe as long as he resided in Louisiana and I was King.

"He did this task to your satisfaction?" If not I would apply a little more pressure. Copley was sly but he recognized and respected wealth and power. I had both. Sookie was not aware of it but if she asked him to hide a body he would have no choice but to comply. He had many, many ventures that were dependent on the vampires of my state and that of Pam's, even Isaiah was using him on a contract basis because of me.

"I don't know. Remy-Hunter's dad he doesn't know I had anything do with him getting a job" I could not help but laugh. She pretended to have no idea what I found amusing.

She stuck her tongue out at me. "You are a bad influence" she teased.

"Bullshit" She was getting a taste of the position I was always in when it came to her; doing what was best for someone you cared about but knowing they would fight you had they known. It was frustrating to say the least.

"Are you tired?" I nuzzled her neck and pulled a deep breath of her scent. It laced every surface of this house but she smelled different in this proximity especially with my blood so fresh in her veins.

"Nope, I'm fine" I began sitting up and pulled her with me.

There were a few things I had to see to. Mainly I wanted a progress report on the were attacks. I also wanted to make sure the human task force that had been assigned was keeping their nose out of our affairs. There were arrangements for our entourage to the governor's ball that had to be made. Nothing today required her presence but I wanted her with me.

"Come with me tonight while I work" The idea of being surrounded by so many of my underlings was not her idea of a night well spent. I gave her the most dazzling smile I had in my arsenal. "Please lover" She tried to act unaffected but her physiological reactions told me she was going to agree before she nodded.

It was a short walk to the main house of the complex. Gideon walked behind Sookie and I. Since he had discovered to better control his ability he spoke less. Now he simply showed me what he was trying to say. When his influence was not entire it was not as much of a distraction so I allowed it. It would help him make his gift more fluid and precise. As we walked he was briefing me on his night. Sookie looked between us but kept her pace in tune with mine.

Gideon watched the weres as they tried to get Sookie to intervene personally. I could see Compton wanted to step in. He did not allow it. He knew I had been dealing with something more pressing. Had Sookie needed help he would have known. Regardless the whole situation made him wary. He did not trust the task force and he was absolutely certain they had an agenda that was far from the wellbeing of the two natured or the supernatural community in general.

"I know as much but why do you think so?" I asked out loud. I wanted Sookie's opinion she was very insightful. Between the three of us we would come up with some probable scenarios.

"Humans are no longer at the top of the food chain and they know it. From that point I would say they want to get close enough to find out as much as they can about what is out there and how to defend against it" I nodded. We all considered his words. That was a troubling prospect. It wasn't along the lines of what I was thinking. How to finally end a vampire was public knowledge. The same was true for how to kill a were or shifter it was even easier. They did not heal as quickly. At most I thought they wanted evidence of violence and unrest amongst the two natured so they could forward their registration agenda.

Gideon's opinion did not sound far off. Humans had not endured as long as they have by being entirely witless. Coming to the rescue would give them the entrance they needed into the world of the supernatural. A were wouldn't give up their own secrets but they certainly wouldn't protect that of other species especially if they were under attack and coping alone.

"That could be possible" Sookie said. Her tone led me to believe she did not agree. "They may not want people taking the laws into their hands. They may want to do the right thing" Gideon eyed her in a manner that said she couldn't possibly believe her own words. "Wishful thinking" She shrugged feeling the full weight of the unlikelihood of her suggestion. We reached the house and our discussion died.

It was rare that she ever attended these kinds of meeting but it was not unheard of. Typically I handled the day to day affairs of the throne later in the night while she slept. Anything that required her input was set aside till the morning. In the dining room of the main business house Heidi, Alana, Thalia, Edgar, Indira and Bill were present.

"Your Majesties" we all returned their greeting. We took our seats I noticed Sookie inconspicuously looking over Edgar to make sure he had healed completely. He had. I valued him and he had been wounded in defense of his queen. While he had been wounded in the past week I made sure all his needs were met. I also assigned Alana to watch over him and I was sure she had been tempted to end him more than a few times.

I was looking over incoming transmissions from other areas of my state and they began their briefings. Alana went first. Her scowl was ever present and unremitting.

"News has come that Curtis has fallen and the rule of Alabama is now Eliza's" That confirmed one of my many suspicions. We all knew Curtis could have been a problem and now he is not. I could feel all their eyes on me. Whether or not I had anything to do with it was inconsequential. My face showed the proper amount of interest.

"Who was lost?" She consulted a small note pad from her breast pocket.

"All of his guards and all his sheriffs are unaccounted for" That confirmed another. While I saw Curtis himself meet his end I was curious as to whether the attack had been coordinated throughout his state; apparently it was. Eliza was ruthless and he should have known better to get involved with her. Ruthless as she was she would have been mad if she set her sights on Louisiana even with the power of two states.

Heidi moved us to more important matters. "I am still unable to track that scent but it is not present at all the scenes at least all the ones within the boundaries of our state" I nodded it was no surprise. She was an excellent tracker had she caught even the slight hint of a trail she would have followed it and it would have yielded results.

"The mongrels grow restless" Thalia said. Her words sounded as though they were being ground out through clenched teeth. "They will bark and bite at any unknown vampire in the area" Her hostility at the matter was poorly contained. She was my enforcer. It suited her ill-tempered personality well. Aside from myself very few vampires in my state were older than her and even they would not test her. Right now she had her hands full and the fact showed. Without being able to use deadly force Thalia was most out of sorts with her duties. When she finished speaking she returned to her brooding. It was odd how much Alana and Heidi resembled her at the moment.

"The known hovels his majesty has assigned me to watch over have been quiet" Edgar said. He had been assigned to watch over any bars and restaurants frequented by the two natured. His distance was to provide him with the advantage of watching without being seen. "Bubba is here from the kingdom of Edginton. He is eager to see his king and queen but he is in my stead this night" There was a smile on Sookie's face. She was very fond of him. I remained expressionless. Bubba was a good messenger and soldier but he was a lot of trouble fortunately not more than he was worth.

"The Human law enforcement work mostly by day. The only name that seems to be a problem is a one Agent Lattesta" Beside me Sookie's eyes narrowed. The name meant something to her. Her reaction did not go unnoticed but it was something I wanted to address privately. "His interest is not entirely on that of the two natured. They vary from one pack to another he is asking about everything from psychics and witches to aliens" That did not gauge any reaction from anyone in the room. Sookie included. Her mind was miles away from here. Her emotions were peppered with an air of anxiety.

I continued looking over the documents in front me but my hand moved to her knee. She relaxed slightly. I gave my signature where it was required and listened to any more pertinent information. A few hours of this and I had to apply pressure every now and again to Sookie's hand to keep her awake. I had completed all the depositions and petitions that needed my attention. I was ready to give them my parting orders.

"Heidi continue searching I am sure you can find something"

It was not the main pack in Shreveport that was the problem. It was rouge shifters and unaffiliated weres that weren't associated with a pack master with whom we could reason. Thalia was competent she could handle it. "Thalia maintain the peace" It thought it impossible but her scowl somehow deepened.

"Your majesty I am still not allowed to use force" My glower surpassed hers and I shook my head. Such a thing would be very counterproductive.

"Not without imminent risk to your safety" she bowed and I knew she was displeased but she was hopeful someone would test her. I pitied whoever would make that mistake because it would surely be their last.

"Edgar continue to maintain surveillance. Widen your range on the two natured establishments and divided them with Bubba."

"Bill at the end of the month I will still require your presence at the governor's ball along with myself" It went without saying that Sookie and Gideon would be present as well. I thought through the rooster of people that were available to me.

"Edgar, Alana, you will accompany us as well" They nodded. "Indira send word to Maxwell Lee" The event would be in Baton Rouge it was his back yard. His presence would be convenient and somewhat necessary. "Inform him his attendance is mandated" She nodded. After receiving their orders they all bowed and left. The three of us headed home. Sookie was leaning heavily upon me as we walked.

"Who is Lattesta" Gideon asked her.

"He's a prick" she answered. He chuckled. I smiled. "The day of Rhodes Barry and I did everything we could to help everyone that we could" It came to me then he was the F.B.I that had traced her back to Bon Temps. "He was able to track me here but Niall got him to back off but I guess now he's back now that Niall is gone" The fairies had gone to their home world or so we all thought. She was worried but she was too tired to give it too much thought.

"The conversation last night didn't go well" Gideon asked. We were alone and biding our time before dawn. I told him what happened. I also mentioned the fairy that sought me out on my way home. "Maybe her uncle knows something about it" I shook my head. That thought has crossed my mind but if the person that came to me was an associate of Dermot's or Claude he wouldn't have risked coming to me for an introduction.

"Were there any scents of fairy around the woods?" He shook his head and a look of longing flittered across his face. You had to be careful when tangling with fairies. When dealing with the prince of the Fae it was wise to lean heavier towards caution. I was thinking on the best way to handle this. It was unlikely that the return of Lattesta and the fairy were related but I was unsure.

The fact that it wasn't Niall himself that came to me was the only thing that made me anxious. It was not his style. He would not do anything to directly cause Sookie harm no matter what his plans were. If he wanted our children for his own purposes she was safe while she was pregnant. Trying to abduct her would not happen without a fight he would not risk hurting her. Then again he would not have been callous enough to just send anyone as a messenger. I would wait. The matter was supposedly of great importance so he would attempt to make contact again either by messenger of personally. I will be ready.

0o0o0

0o0o0

I felt like the last few chapters were lacking in some intimate time between Eric and Sookie.

I know you are all dying to see the face behind the all the mysteries as well as the fairy but all in good time. Trust me when I tell you when it all gets unveiled you will not be disappointed. As a consolation prize I will try to get the next chapter out a little sooner just so I can bring you one step closer to solving the mystery. I am kind of surprised that no one had guessed the identity of the fairy. You are usually hitting things on the nose!

Like always let me know your thoughts, feelings and concerns! Until next time.


	18. Unknown nexus

Don't know where the bulk of my readers are from but in Boston we just had our first seventy degree weather after a long a** winter! This update was in grave danger of not getting done. But because I am afraid of some of you might do if I miss the four day schedule I got my butt inside and got to work! :D

This is kind of special. I felt like I had been dangling too many carrots and the suspense was beginning to get maddening. This chapter goes out to **Kerriki** for boldly stating that she loves disaster. Well you are in for a treat for a few reasons. This chapter is a double feature and they are both yours! I felt like it was about time I let you guys know what the hell was going on.

***I always forget to put the disclaimer up here. But as we all know these characters do not belong to me they belong in full to Miss Harris***

With that being said Enjoy!

**Sookie**

**Chapter Eighteen**

**The Unknown Nexus**

It kind of happened overnight. I left like I went to bed with a normal figure minus a tiny baby bump. The next morning there was no hiding it. They were making themselves known. I knew it wasn't just me because I came down stairs one morning about a week ago Rob and Ty exchanged a look. There was a tie between anxiety and shock on their faces and they spent a great deal of effort not looking at my midsection or in my direction in general for the day. When they saw I survived the night with Eric they could look at me again.

David had been given instructions to bring my work home and reschedule my appointments to nights so Eric could do them. Something I wasn't expecting was still being able to do all the same things I use to do. During the day I still went into the office to work and took walks through the neighborhood. I still cooked and cleaned but I had to admit to my limitation on being able to bend over to retrieve fallen items. It wasn't worth the backache.

It was almost June and it was usually the time of year I would break out my bikini and sun bathe. The complex had a pool to boot it was something that I had intended to use as "Sookie time" during the day. Outside of day men performing errands for the vampires here I was the only human around. It would have been peaceful and perfect. Except I saw one of my bikinis and thought I should save myself some dignity. I put them far out of sight. It was bittersweet. It was official. I was going to have to buy some maternity clothes. Sundresses were no longer going to do the trick.

With all the exciting changes I was coming to. There was this heavy nagging feeling in my mind; like a fly on steroids. I hadn't yet found words or time to sit down and tell my friends and family I was expecting. I had been dragging my feet for two reasons. The main one was that I was happy having the knowledge of my pregnancy a well-kept secret. The people who knew had no negativity or judgment to pass my way. It further helped me bask in the joy of knowing I was going be a mom. Second only a portion of the truth would be known to everyone else I told and I hadn't yet made my peace with that. Now I had no choice but to face it all head on.

Unfortunately for everyone around me my mood swings had showed no signs of leveling out. They were growing too fast for my hormones to catch up with. The other day I dropped my sandwich and cried over it. Gideon made me another one. It was a nice change of pace that he remembered something as human as fixing a sandwich. None of it really grossed him out. Having Eric's blood and carrying part vampire children were heightening my senses. Everything smelled better and tasted better to me now. I was now one of those people that made orgasmic noises as they ate. If you asked me I would swear that I never had a little Debbie cinnamon roll until I had had while I was pregnant. It tasted like heaven. Yes I am fat and my appetite was only growing.

My newly acquired girth did not come at the best of times. I was leaving for Baton Rouge tonight. There was nothing on my schedule for the day which was a plus. On the downside the dress that had already been packed for me just wasn't gonna cut it. I was going to have to go into Shreveport and figure something out on my own. When I had money to shop which wasn't often I enjoyed it. These days I can't recall the last time I bought my own anything. Between you and me I was having less and less normal clothes. Everything the personal shopper bought was chiffon this or lace that but deep down I was still a t-shirt and jean kind of girl. I was happy to get out on my own to see what I could find along those lines.

There was a mall in Shreveport that I had been a time or two. Before we arrived there we drove past a little street that housed some boutiques. "Could we try here first please?" The store I was pointing towards held the quaintest looking baby display. In the window was a rocking chair like the one that was at my old farm house. It was sitting not too far from a crib. I had already asked my uncle if I could have the chair that was still in my old room. It was one of the few baby things left behind when Jason and Michele took what they needed for their baby. Rob parked and Ty helped me out of the car as I tried to waddle my way out. I was elated and embarrassed that I doing the pregnant woman waddle.

I was sure I looked like the biggest crazy person there was. My hand was on the glass and my mouth was hanging open slightly. I just stared at the crib from the window. It was a rich deep stained espresso color. It was designed to look like a sleigh; there were soft curves and lyrical lines that gave it the look of an antique. Ornate panels completed the cribs splendor. It was perfect. I caught my reflection in the mirror and realized I was getting teary eyed.

"Sookie we can go in" Ty reminded me. I nodded and followed him inside. It wasn't what I planned but I would be spending the next three hours in there. At the end I had spent more money on baby things than I had made in an entire year. I bought two cribs, with a matching armoire along with a night stand and a chest that was topped by a changing table. Dr. Ludwig couldn't tell. I wanted it to be a surprise but every now day it was getting harder not to visit Monroe and have Claude tell me what I was having. The clothing I bought were gender neutral in color. I had some hope of having a son because I picked up some blue one pieces and hats. I knew I would feel guilty about this spending spree later but have you ever noticed how all tiny apparel is just gorgeous?

The woman that was helping me didn't really have to do much of anything but watch me lose my mind in her establishment. Her mind was the farthest thing from mine. I would have noticed the way she was staring at my face.

"Would you like these delivered" Her eyes went down to my card and they widened. "Mrs. Northman" Yes of course it would be just my luck that she was an avid follower of the many fan sites devoted to my husband. Apparently my picture had made it onto the site as the destroyer of their fantasies. I had turned down interviews from a few magazines and newspapers. It took a lot of effort to avoid seeing the wedding pictures of Eric and I in Vampire weekly. Till this day I still haven't seen it. I carefully avoided entertainment news or channels that had vampires on it in the event that I made it on there. I wasn't interested in what people who didn't know me had to say. Whether it was good or bad I plain wasn't interested. Despite my best efforts I still knew Vampire weekly did an article on me called "Dances with vampires" If you ignored them they would go away. It was what I believed no matter how untrue.

"Oh shit! You are the Mrs. Northman" Her mental state was becoming less and less coherent with her excitement. "Oh my God no one is going to believe this" as if it wasn't enough that I had been selecting baby items right before her very eyes she just registered I was pregnant. I blocked and tried to be as polite as possible because I knew nothing would keep her from asking all the overly personal questions she had in her mind. "Whose baby is that?" I was preparing for a whole list of other questions but I guess I missed that one while I was in her head. I gapped like a fish out of water because her style of questioning would shame a Neanderthal.

"A few things Lady" Ty said. His voice suddenly sounded like his brothers. In other words it sounded cold and hostile.

"Shut the fuck up" Rob interjected.

"Second"

"Shut the fuck up" Rob chimed in again. They were on either sides of me and more than a few inches taller. I couldn't really see their faces without craning my neck all the way up. I was beginning to see a pattern as their banter of censorship continued I couldn't tell one voice from the other.

"Third"

"Shut the fuck up" They concluded together. The look on the woman's face was just enthralling. Wouldn't you know she had the nerve to look at them like they were the rude ones? But she complied with their request.

"The clothes I will take with me and the furniture will be picked up if that's okay" All that was inspiration in desperation. There was no way I was telling this woman where I lived and giving her access to the grounds. She nodded and didn't bother to hide her disappointment. I would be sending Indira for them. I would like to see her not mind her manners then.

My body guards carried my purchases and we left. "Thanks guys, but you didn't have to do that" I was use to sticking up for myself or letting trashy people be just that.

"My pleasure" Ty said. Rob nodded. I guess he was done all the talking he was going to do for the day. I wondered into a store whose brand I recognized on one the bags that usually appeared at the house. The dress I chose resembled the original one. I was in and out in twenty minutes. That included the ten minutes it took to pull the dress on in the fitting room. I felt like I looked like less of cow and more like an elegant otter. The dress had an empire waist line and was the color of butter. It played up my cleavage and tan. It flowed easily from my body with chiffon that gave it a light feel but provided some obscurity. For humans this might work. With supes it was a whole other story. No manner of optical illusions and maneuvering would deflect the size of my tummy.

The mall had a maternity store that offered me a decent selection. I was starving and not the least bit interested. I ate a small pizza and had a strawberry shake. It sounded like it would be a great idea to dip my pepperoni pizza in my shake so that's what I did and it tasted even better.

"Gross" Ty said. I smiled and chewed happily. I felt the babies doing a little happy dance and I froze. A loony smile was painted on my face. My hands went to place where I felt the kick or punch.

"Kick for me again" I said. I didn't care what else was going on or what anyone thought right then and there. My life was perfect. After a few more bites of my makeshift delicacy they complied.

0o0o0

Before the vampires rose for the night the limo and various car services had arrived. All our bags were loaded into the cars. Bill had left the night before. He was setting up for some presentations. I had no idea what they were about. Indira was making a quick stop at the store. While we were gone she would be working with Thalia and Bubba to keep an eye on things. A few minutes after first dark we were leaving the compound.

I was asleep before we left Shreveport. The next thing I knew Gideon was calling my name and tapping me lightly on the shoulder. "We're here" He said. I blinked ever so slowly and found my head was resting on his shoulder. The list of things I once found inappropriate or improper were shifting and shrinking. Instead of feeling embarrassed or uncomfortable I yawned and stretched. I took a few seconds to get my bearings.

Outside the limo I could see Eric was surrounded by his vampires and they were having a short briefing before they went off to their rooms. Maxwell was amongst the ones there. This was his area. He had come early to make sure the arrangements for the rest of us were done. "Come on" Gideon opened the door. He stepped out and leaned in to help me out. As we were approaching the small gathering around Eric died abruptly.

All their eyes were trained on me. Not me specifically. All these vampires with the exception of a few new faces have seen me anywhere from ten to a twenty times in the past few years. Their eyes were fixed on the baby bump my sweater was doing a sorry job of concealing. The look I got wasn't the one I was expecting but it spoke volumes about vampires. I couldn't understand any of it. I had braced myself for accusatory; debauched; hostile I got none of it. In sync their eyes moved to Eric they had one of those silent conversations. Eric took my hand and that was it. They returned to what they were doing. I would be sure to ask what that was later.

They turned and in a kind of spare formation we walked towards the elevators. I was leaning heavily on Eric. He was supporting most if not all my weight with complete ease. Getting on the elevator was a procedure I could have rolled my eyes. Total there were twelve of us. Five rode up first and when they were about half way up we took the second elevators after them. After we were almost upstairs the last group of people followed. Like I said a procedure but vampires loved their presentations and their drama.

"_**You are still very tired" **_Eric observed. I nodded and found that I was. I was also starving.

"_**Gideon will see you to our room"**_ I shook my head. He wasn't going directly to the room he was going to see some of the vampires in this area as well as meet with some of the weres. He needed Gideon more than I did.

"_**I'm just going to sleep and eat I'll ask Edgar"**_ He was going to argue but I was already asking Edgar to escort me to our room. Judging by the look on his face you would think I invited him to try on silver jewelry but of course he came along. We broke apart from the group and I had to carry my own weight which was feeling like more work that I could have ever imagined. I should have known to listen to Eric because before the elevator doors closed my head was swimming into blackness. Unable to get my limbs to remain solid I began crumpling to the floor. The last thing I remembered was Edgar's arm around me and his face over mine. It was an upgrade, trust me. I could have almost smiled because he looked like he was anxious rather than in pain.

"She is awake now" The sound of Eric's voice was perfectly reserved even though it was registering slightly muffled. I knew that that tone he was worried and as soon as I registered he was worried my eyes snapped open in a panic. It cleared away the reaming haze in my head. My hands flitted to my stomach. My heart was still hammering in my chest and it took a good minute to get my breathing under control. The swollen balloon in my abdomen wasn't gone. Edgar had caught me in time nothing irreparable had happened.

In the large suite of the hotel room was Eric and Dr. Ludwig. There were bottles of blood on the night stand but I could still taste the metallic blend that was vampire blood in my mouth. I took inventory of the way I felt. It was a complete three sixty. I wasn't tired and my limbs no longer felt like they weighed a ton. Dr. Ludwig was her usual annoyed persona. She gently pulled my wrist form my midsection and held it in her tiny frayed fingers for several minutes.

"How do you feel now?" She asked.

"How are they?" I countered.

"Healthy and stronger than you" I nodded and answered her question.

"Much better"

"They are sending your metabolism into over drive" The little demon's words pulled me from appraising Eric who was doing a tremendous job mimicking the hotel fixtures. At the moment he appeared to be a tall blonde haired blue eyed lamp dressed in a white button down and black slacks. His hair was out of its neat ponytail and both his sleeves were rolled up. There wasn't the slightest flicker of emotion on his face whatsoever. "Start with a bottle of blood a day and increase your calories" I didn't think it would be this soon. I knew this was a possibility we discussed it at my first appointment. There was still two months left according to her calculations. I have had to drink tru blood a few times. In all those instances it was disgusting. I'd like to believe it was because I wasn't a vampire and didn't drink blood. Going off what I have heard from vampires synthetic would sustain them but they found it just as nauseating as I did. She remained and gave me list of things that I should begin to integrate into my diet daily. I didn't want to think about right now. The list would be enough to feed a family of five.

Dr. Ludwig left and Eric still had the width of the room between us.

It wasn't very mature of me but I didn't meet his eyes and my voice was small. We just had a scare and I just wanted him to hold me. "Are you mad at me?" I felt like I still had a ways to go with him in the trust department and I was afraid he was angry I hadn't gone with Gideon like he suggested. He may have been mad that I didn't pay someone to buy baby things instead of walking around all day and doing it myself. It wasn't what I needed right now. I would apologize for either or both even if I didn't think I was wrong.

There was a small smile on my husband's face. It was worn but no less genuine or handsome. He began walking over to me all the while he was unbuttoning his shirt. His steps were fluid and he never lingered of fussed with a single button it was all so seamless. He crawled in bed next to me and wrapped his entire body around mine.

"I'm not angry with you" He murmured almost too low for me to hear. "I am angry with myself. I feel as though I am not doing enough" His hand was rubbing soothing circles on my tummy; my entire being relaxed.

"What else do you think you should be doing exactly?" That just sounded ridiculous. Everything I wanted and needed I had. I even had things I never dreamed of. I was going to have children with the man I loved. Matters outside our home were turbulent but we were enduring and our state was strong. I had no idea what he was going on about.

"Get you attendants; people to make sure all your needs are met at all times" Eric was nothing if not persistent. I hoped he couldn't see as I gave my eyes a good long roll. That sounded like the worse kind of life sentence. The only comparison I had to draw from was a house as obnoxious as the one Sophie-Anne had in New Orleans it would be filled with strangers whose minds I had access to. They would be taking care of my children. I didn't care what it sounded like but I wanted them all to myself. Every moment when I wasn't asleep I wanted to be with them I didn't want to miss a single snapshot of their lives.

"I don't…"

He cut me off and some of his frustration had leaked into his voice. "I know" I didn't say anything else. He was just going to keep mulling it over until he found a way to make it work. I wasn't going to change my mind so I was quiet enjoying the moment.

"I went shopping today" It had the desired effect well almost. He was in disbelief but at least he was no longer frowning. I told him about all the things I had bought for our children. Sometimes Eric was so modern other times well his age showed. I asked him to put the crib together and he couldn't understand why it was so important that he did it. So I had to explain that. He also had me explain other things that fathers did in this time and we compared noted to what he remembered of his human days. When I felt he had relaxed enough I had him explain the automatic acceptance of his vampires to me.

His answer was as obvious as it was shocking. Who would have ever imagined that vampires would have been the easy ones to explain this to? "Our laws of ownership are simple. Any child you have will automatically belong to me as much as anything else you own" he shrugged it off while I was left reeling. "You are my bonded and my wife it is assumed I deny you nothing."

"Rest lover and eat something" A few minutes later he was pulling on a t shirt and changing into a pair of jeans. Whenever I saw the classic Eric ensemble it made me smile. He caught me appreciating his beauty and smiled. "Edgar and Alana are outside. Call them if you have need" I nodded. He kissed me goodbye and left. I felt fine enough to go along but I knew better than to ask. I wished he didn't have to go but it wasn't often that he came to this part of his state. He would be gone most of the night.

I ordered room service. When my food came Edgar came inside with the older man that was pushing the gold plated cart full of food. To say the attendant was nervous was an understatement. His gloved hands shook as he transferred dishes onto the table.

"Is there anything else I can get for you Miss" I would have asked for a milk shake but I didn't think his nerves could stand to have him come back.

"No thank you" I smiled as brightly as I could but it didn't do much. He gave me an awkward spastic head nod and shuffled out of the room.

The bed I was in was huge and I was in the center. I sat up and scooted to the edge. Edgar was watching my every move waiting for me to ask for help or keel over I wasn't sure but neither happened. He pulled out my chair.

"Thank you" I sat and waited for him to leave. "Umm…you can go now"

"If you prefer"

"No I only meant I'm fine and you don't have to watch me eat" Some vampires found this disgusting and I honestly didn't need an audience. He bowed but didn't move or say anything else. It seemed like he wanted to stick around so I was going to let him. Half was through my dinner he spoke.

"Forgive me; I never fully expressed my gratitude for her majesties consideration of me while I was wounded" I had a mouth full of food but I nodded in acknowledgment. After he got it off his chest he bowed deeply and left me in peace. Vampire weirdness was all that came to mind.

0o0o0o0

Just click the little button to the right to see the identity of the fairy and get some of your questions answered. **But wait! **Don't forget to Review! Or the link won't work…just kidding **:D**


	19. Smack dab In the Middle

Hey kerriki I hope this chapter lives up to your demands of disaster! Enjoy!

Sookie

Chapter Nineteen

Smack-dab In The Middle

_Lover,_

_Remain within the confines of the hotel. Rest and eat well. We will be departing when I rise._

_I love you_

_~E_

My bladder was shrinking by the day. I didn't see that note until after my trip to the bathroom. Where ever there was going to be vampires you could count on the fellowship of the sun being present. In recent pasts there haven't been any problems. It has been peaceful (hateful) protests but there has been no violence from one group of the other. That may not be the case here. It may be why he wanted me indoors. I didn't mind too much.

The only thing I did this morning was ask my brother out to dinner. I was going to tell him when I got home; Tara as well. The changes in my life didn't leave much room for us to spend time together. She was still my oldest friend I should tell her. It was the decent thing to do.

The only person that I was worried about saying anything to was Sam. His somewhat judgmental words came from a good place but by the time they reached my ears it all sounded like shit. I haven't been to see him recently for obvious reasons but I called and he was doing well. He was talking and eating and moving a little. It was all our hopes that he would be out of the hospital very soon but it looked like when all was said and done Sam would be leaving Bon Temps. There was nothing here but the memory of the life he had built and the woman he had loved and lost.

I had to drink a blood I figured if I got it out of the way I would have my whole day ahead of me. Having it warm when I drank it made me vomit. Room temprature was much of the same. In the end I found that it was easiest for me to gulp down when it was very cold; almost slushy. Even then it took me about fifteen minutes to choke down a whole bottle. I couldn't believe I was going to have to do thisThw whole process took me half the mornign to get right.

My day was very uneventful until I was walking through the hotel. Ty, Rob and I were in a narrow corridor on the ground floor of the hotel. I had been walking around aimlessly for exercise. A side door flew open I never got a chance to see what came barreling out. The next thing I saw was a wall made of the backs of my body guards and a figure falling to the ground.

The persons mind was in full blown panic. I snuck a peek from behind my guards to get a better look. The person that had come out through the door was a kid. I was going to ask Rob and his brother to relax before they gave him a heart attack but we weren't the reason for his fear. The door opened again this time with much less clamor. The child scrambled to his feet but I could see his body trembling slightly. We had ourselves a three way showdown.

"Come here" I said holding my hand out. I had no idea what I was doing or who this kid was. He could have escaped out of a nut house for all I knew but I knew a cornered animal when I saw one and he was the picture. Not to mention the people he was running from were giving me the heebie jeebies. They were creatures of the supernatural that much was obvious given their beauty and mental imagery.

Their attire however was somethign else. I had no idea who dressed them but their clothes screamed, "I'm not from this dimension" They were dressed in a cross between biker and accountant. It was confusing to the senses. You didn't know if they would pull out a pen or a cigarette from the breast pocket of their collared shirts. The woman had hair that reminded of Arlene. Her features were soft and very feminine. The male had dark hair and was as pale as a glass of milk.

"This is none of your concern" The woman said. Her high soprano voice was full of acid. It sounded much too young for her developed body. "He belongs to us"

I ignored her and my eyes moved back to the child infront of me. If this kid had any sense in his head he was going to take my hand. I gave him a no nonsense look and gave him a small wave for him to come my way. He was obviously terrified and they were all kinds of scary. Whether he was just scared or liked his chances of survival better on our side. He took my hand.

"What is your name?" I asked.

"Ronan" He whispered from behind my back.

"Do you know these people?" I was focusing on his mind but all I was getting was emotion. Given the situation he was in it was no surprise.

"Yes"

"Do you want to go with them" It was a stupid question but I wanted to make sure. His panic flared and he shook his head vehemently.

"No, no I do not"

"Would you like to come with me?"

"Yes"

"The kid is coming with us. You can kindly fuck off" Ty translated. How many supes does it take to pick on a child? The answer was three. The door opened and one more person joined the party.

"It would appear we have a standoff" The late comer said in sing song voice. The new addition was dressed normally. A t-shirt and a pair of faded blue jeans.

"There are no humans here it seems" This supposed fact pleased him. I pushed my way between Rob and Ty. I left the kid behind me. The man (I use that term loosely) was handsome and less creepy but that feature warned that he was much more dangerous. "I know your face" he said. His index finger moved to his dimpled chin and he gave it a few errant raps as if he was trying hard to remember something that he should not have forgotten. "You are the living queen of vampires" A look that wasn't so carefree crossed his face as the answer came to him.

I didn't know what it was about this lot but I loathed them. Something about them going after a child made me so angry I could kill them and enjoy it. I pulled my shield on and I gave him a leveled look. "Then you know this isn't a fight you want" I don't think he could tell what I did but he felt this was going to take a very unpleasant turn.

"Forgive us it would appear your claim trumps ours. We will depart and hope you accept our apologies" He nodded deeply and dipped his head low to smile at Ronan. Then they left.

This kid was trouble in a gift wrap. I didn't want to know exactly what he was into but I wanted to help him as best as I could. I waited till we got back to the main foyer before I began asking Ronan questions. He wasn't human obviously but I had no idea what he was. I just knew it wasn't the same species as the people that were after him.

"Do you need a phone" He could still be in shock but the mention of a phone didn't seem to mean much. My hand was on his cheek. I examined his features while he began to relax. He didn't have any injuries that I could tell. His hair was the color of corn silk but the most of it was hidden in a baseball hat he had on a matching jersey and dark grey jeans. His features were soft; chubby cheeks that were thinning in preparation for adolescence; big round eyes that were bluish green in color.

"You can call someone to pick you up" I clarified. He appeared as though he was still drawing a blank on my line of questioning. I tried a different venue "Do you need money or a ride?"

"Ah yes!" He clapped his hands and his eyes sparkled. I couldn't help but smile with him. He was a beautiful little boy. "A ride in a car, yes I am need of one of this. Do you have one?" Rob and Ty were eyeing him skeptically. They weren't the only ones. He caught us looking and anxiety crossed his face. "If you do not it is well…" I waved him off and took his hand.

Unfortunately I had no reservations to use the car service at the hotel. It would be a little over an hours wait.

I offered Ronan my phone. Someone must be looking for him they would appreciate knowing they didn't have to worry. He shook his head. "I do not have means to reach my uncle" I felt sad for him.

"He doesn't have phone?" He smiled shyly. I took that as a no. As much as I wanted to make sure he got to his destination alright I couldn't leave with him to make sure. I would do all that I could within the boundaries of the hotel. "Are you hungry?" He nodded.

It did my heart good to watch him stuff his face. Before he brought anything to his lips (including the water) he sniffed at it a long time but he tried to be stealthy about it. I politely pretended not to notice. When his meal passed the smell test he all but inhaled it. It was my belief that he would have kept eating had the car not arrived. By the end of the hour he had eaten a chicken salad for dressing he used ketchup. Ketchup was also the topping to his spaghetti and French fries combo meal. He took a slab of chocolate cake to go. When the bill came he reached in his pocket but I stopped him.

Before he got in the car I tried to give him money. He refused. "I already have some" He said with a bright smile. I didn't laugh but I came mighty close. That was what he was going to pay for his meal with. He showed me a wad of money that amounted to no more than twenty five dollars.

"Take more" I pushed the money into his hand and closed it. He smiled.

"What is your name?" He asked.

"Sookie"

"Thank you Sookie"

"You are welcome Ronan, good luck" He gave a quick one handed hug and scooted into the car.

"Take him where ever he needs to go" I told the driver. I gave him the remainder of the cash I had. I watched them drive away. I was hoping and praying he would be able to get to his uncle and he would be safe. I didn't know it at that point and time that I would be seeing him soon. How strange was it that I knew his uncle, his father and damn near his whole family?

0o0o

"Wake up lover" I had overslept. I know I had overslept because there was a vampire in my bed. Eric was kissing my face; my cheek; my head and my lips. His fingers were in my hair.

"You could always join me in bed" I said. I felt him smiled against my skin.

"Woman, don't tempt me" His lips were at the base of my neck and his voice was a playful growl. My body was out of control I was wet almost immediately. I was pulling at the band of his pants. He didn't stop me. His fingers were already busy. Having sex when pregnant was something else. My body was hyperaware. Everything time he touched me it plucked at the finely tuned nerve endings of my body. I said his name like a prayer as he drove me up the wall. I could tell he was trying to be gentle with me but I didn't do the same. I scratched and bit into him and it tore at his self-control. He let himself go and it made it even better. There was nothing between us. I was beside him gasping for breath.

"We are going to be late" I said. He smiled.

"You are queen they will wait"

An hour later we were leaving the hotel for the governor's mansion. I took a curling iron to my hair. It hung around my face in bouncy spiral curls. The dress did me justice. I applied light make up and I felt like it was all going to take attention of my tummy.

"If for any reason you need to leave my side Alana, Bill and Edgar must be with you"

I nodded but I knew something was making him uneasy. First I was trapped in the hotel now I couldn't go the rest room without a vampire present. "What's wrong?" His face became carefully controlled but he gave me a one word explanation.

"Fellowship"

"I can handle myself" I assured him. I didn't want him setting anymore restraints because he was worried. He no longer did things to or for me without telling me but it didn't mean he listened when I protested. It was just a more blatant form of highhandedness.

"You will be hesitate to kill humans" It wasn't that I killed anything without remorse or regard it was that I had killed more vampires than anything else. I knew they wouldn't show me the same deliberation. The humans from the fellowship were drastic, hateful and in most instances crazy in their beliefs but it just wasn't the same. Eric was afraid that hesitation could cost me my life and that of our children. I didn't answer. He was right and he knew it.

Gideon was riding in the limo with us and his eyes were on me. "I have always been curious why vampires respect you" I didn't dignify him with a response.

"Many of the original members of Louisiana have fought side by side with her" Eric bragged.

"That's not it entirely Pam has forever painted me as the boogey man" Eric laughed. I was never going to live that down. During the drive Gideon asked questions about my past misadventures and to my complete horror Eric answered them. It wasn't my fault that bartenders never lasted at Fangtasia since I came along. I wasn't sure if it was okay but I was happy that there was no more Fangtasia and Alana was still undead. Hopefully the curse was broken.

We were seated with Copley Carmichael and the governor himself. I smiled and laughed at the right times. Eric had the excuse of being a vampire they didn't expect the same courtesy from him. He did however take pictures and stand close to the right people (He was not shaking anyone's hand). I discussed the matter of Remy briefly with Copley. Everything I asked for Remy got. Copley told me he was making six figures a year at one of his branch companies as a district manager. Overall I felt it was a small price to pay to help Remy and Hunter.

That night I had the worst sleep. Eric was feeling all kinds of happy as his children kicked the crap out of me. As I tried to sleep it seemed that was all they wanted to do. I tried every position the limo could offer but found no comfort. I gave up on the whole endeavor and waited for them to settle down. All the while Eric had his hand on my stomach trailing their movements. I felt like he was encouraging them. When they kicked particularly hard he would smile in utter delight. I was glad he was entertained I was exhausted. Somewhere after Alexandria I was finally able to shut my eyes. I never remembered going into the house of taking off my dress but when I woke late the next morning I was in my bed.

It was Sunday. The only thing on my agenda was Jason. Michele had changed him but I knew my brother wasn't in church. No woman on earth could have changed him that much. I went through the routine of drinking a blood and found that it was no easier today if nothing else it was twice as disgusting because I remembered the taste.

"You guys can take the day off" I told Rob and Ty. They worked every day and had nights off. Jason was going to meet me at my old house I would be cooking. I wouldn't need them today. Dermot would be enough if any trouble came up. They both gave me a look that told me they were going to argue.

"On any other day we would but" Ty flung an issue of a magazine on the kitchen counter. On the front page was me at the governor ball and my baby bump was so not as small as I thought. "Vampire spawn: The first living vampire queen provides an heir to the throne" was in captions. I refused to open the magazine but I allowed them to come along. The whole way to my uncle's house I was hoping Jason or anyone who mattered hadn't seen this magazine.

My old farm house seemed to be shining. Dermot had cleared some space in front of the house and had a nice garden growing. The flowers looked like the most beautiful bouquet. There was a mixture was exotic at least for this part of the world. He had rich red roses and pink roses. There were Peruvian land oriental lilies and even orchids. The grass seemed greener too. He even added a new coat of paint to the house. It made me feel all kinds of jealous that the house looked much better under his care than mine.

"Are you hungry?" He asked. He was closing the door and we were heading towards the kitchen. No matter what I did they just didn't get along. Ty and Rob felt were happier outside and roaming around the grounds. It also had something to do with Dermot's less than friendly treatment. He usual had some insult to mutter or a face to make at them.

"I could eat" He laughed. It was a blithe and merry sound. I couldn't help but smile. While he moved around the kitchen and got lunch together we talked.

"How much time is left?" He asked.

"About two months" He nodded. I wondered if he had fathered children but I didn't ask. The idea of having more family thrilled me but Dermot had some issues about his lineage. He felt doomed by his half in half out existence. I couldn't imagine him having a child with a fairy or otherwise.

We had something light for lunch and I put the preparations for dinner in the oven. I was making roast beef. While that cooked we were seated in the living room (It got an upgrade; digital this and flat screen that). My uncle was a huge science fiction buff. He read books, watched movies and acclimated certain aspects to his own magical abilities what he saw. He insisted I watch "The X-files: I want to believe"Half way through the movie we heard a terrified cry from outside.

"Dermot" He shot up from his seat and ran towards the back door. "Dermot, help" I could pick up on the shift of my body guards. I waddled after my uncle. "Father please" It was more like a shriek that time. Dermot was out the back door and I was on his heels. Ty and Rob were surrounding a crumpled mass. As I got closer I could see it was a child with an adult in his arms. They were both drenched in blood. It was Ronan. I could now see his ears and the full length of his hair. He was a fairy.

"Rob, Ty" I grabbed hold of their arms. Their features were changing and I was horrified that they would attack a child; a wounded child. They moved from around him to my side. Dermot and I dropped on our knees and I devastated to find that the person in his armwas my cousins Claude.

"Are you hurt Ronan" He shook his head but there were fresh looking and smelling burns all over his right arm and some on the right side of his face. Someone had taken lemon to him. Dermot took Claude from him and went inside.

Claude was clutching at Dermot. "I don't know if my father…" he gasped for breath. Blood was sputtering from his mouth. He was drowning in it or so it seemed.

"Be quiet, save your strength" Claude obeyed. It didn't look like he wanted to but he passed out. Ronan began crying. Dermot was tearing away Claude's clothes. He started a fire in the fire place and I already knew where this was going. I felt sorry for my cousin.

"It is my fault he was trying to protect me" Dermot's child was brushing Claude's hair from his face as he spoke. "They were many" He was sobbing and was barely comprehensible. "I tried to fight they were going to take iron to me when he came" His body was shaking and he looked completely distraught. I felt myself tearing up. "Uncle Dillon came and told me to come to you" He took a second to wipe his eyes. "Is he going to die?" Ronan finally asked. Dermot had been heating a knife that I assumed was silver over the open flame.

"He is too full of himself to die" Dermot replied. I wasn't sure if his love of self was enough to keep him alive he was in very bad shape. "Hold him" My uncle said to the weres they looked at me and I nodded. I took Ronan elsewhere he didn't need to see this.

I led him to the room upstairs. It wasn't far enough. We could hear Claude thrashing against the hold of my body guards and the pain of the knife. He screamed and screamed and screamed until his voice went hoarse. It was a shrill noise that made the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. I kept Ronan's hand. His grip was almost painful as he continued weeping silently.

I might as well do something useful. "What do fairies do to treat lemon burns?" He took a second to register that I was around again when he was in trouble but answered me.

"What you call sugar and very cold water" he replied. For a second I wanted to ask him what he called it but I decided it was not the time to satisfy my curiosity. I walked downstairs as fast as I could. Before my feet touched the last five steps I could smell burning flesh. It made my stomach churn and reminded me vividly of Rhodes. I averted my eyes and made for the kitchen.

I got two bowls. One held warm water to help Ronan get clean the other held what I needed to heal his wounds. I tried to be gentle but some bits of skin came off with his shirt when he discarded it. It looked like it was taking all his concentration to remain still while I worked but he did it. The only persons I could think of where the people who had him cornered in the hotel in Baton Rouge. They must not have known who his father or grandfather was but they were going to be sorry. Dermot was a scary fairy.

Fairies healed quickly. It was not as fast as vampires but it was noticeable in comparison to a human there were no need for bandages. I wiped him down with the now lukewarm water. Then I went over to the dressers in the room. Someone who had lived here must have left some clothes behind. From my all too many experiences I knew this outfit was finished the blood would never come out. He had to get out of his clothes. The blood was drying on his once khaki pants and auburn shirt baseball style shirt. He must have looked dashing when he got dressed. Luckily I found him an outfit that had belonged to Jason. It fit him better that anything else here would have.

"Will you lie with me?" He asked. I nodded. Our position was awkward because of my tummy. Eventually he fell asleep with his head in my chest and his arm was around me. My hand was smoothing his hair back. He was a beautiful little boy. He was my cousin. Soon after it was quiet in the house he fell asleep. At some point I fell asleep too. I woke up to voices downstairs; angry voices. My little farm house hadn't lost its touch for attracting supes.

"Where is my son Mongrel" My original reaction was to disentangle myself form the still sleeping Ronan but I didn't.

"They are awake" someone else confirmed from downstairs. It would be redundant to comment on the heightened sense of supes at the moment. Together Ronan and I walked downstairs followed by Ty and Rob. Ronan ran into the arms of a woman I thought was his mother. He hid his face in her chest and she wrapped her hand around him and buried her face in his hair. There were six fairies total in the house. There was Dermot, Ronan and his mother, and Dillon and another fairy I did not recognized. Claude was in the spare bedroom.

Shit. My mouth fell open with a small gasp. My eyes were running over the blood stained people in front of me. Everyone in the room was decorated in blood and dirt and even bits of debris; I would wager that collectively they were having a bad day. Honest and for true I have never seen fairies look so tattered and torn. The female had a slash on her cheek and blood was matted in her hair. Ronan's burns were still raw. Dillon's arm was bandaged. The male I didn't know had a deep gash on his head. They were all in varying stages of disrepair. Dillon was actually dripping blood on the floor.

For a moment the fairies were all distracted by the happy reunion. Then their eyes turned to me when Ty spoke. "Your majesty we should go" Rob nodded. Their minds were getting rather fuzzy. Dermot came to my side in a very unsubtle play at choosing sides. I appreciated it in a house full of strangers.

"She did nothing to help but still you abide by her" Color me confused. The fairy I didn't know just hurled an accusation my way. I have never met this man in my life. Where did this asshole get off making that call? More importantly what in the world was going on?

Ty and Rob snarled and were leaning forward. "Iain that is enough" Dillon said. He turned to me.

"Do you remember me?" He asked with a smile that showed sharp teeth. I guess he was threatening the weres and saying hello all in the same gesture; very efficient.

I nodded. "Fairies leave a lasting impression" Niall once told me that I could trust him. I did. I would be happier to see him under better circumstances. Even without looking battle ridden I would have assumed his presence here meant trouble. Clearly this wasn't a visit to say, "how-de-do". Something bad was going on. I thought it had to be pretty darn bad that Niall had sent him instead of coming. A war amongst the Fae was my first thought. Nothing explained how I had anything to do with it this time. For that I was thankful because I had were and vampire troubles up to my eyebrows.

Dillon felt the need to respond to my somewhat sardonic reply. "Not always good"

"No. Not always. Niall said I could trust you. That hasn't changed has it?" He shook his head.

"No my niece it has not" A direct answer from a fairy was an answer in itself. He looked like he was revving up for a long one but I had pregnant human needs to see to. He should also stop staining the rug with his blood. I excused myself. No sooner had I washed my hands did I hear and feel Eric at the door.

"It's her husband" Dermot explained. Between disgust and irritation it was hard to know what the dominant emotion on their faces. My hand was on the door knob and I turned to look at the house full of bloody fairies. Vampire and fairies in the same room was never a good idea. They may want to scoot. Ronan's mother led him by the hand back up stairs. Iain slipped into the room Claude was in. It was just Dillon, Dermot, my body guards and myself. I opened the door to add a vampire to the supe cocktail, perfect just fucking perfect.

Eric pulled me into his arms and kissed my head. His relief washed over me it was quickly followed by anger; the bulk of which was suppressed but it was still substantial. His hands were around my shoulders pinning me to him. He was shouting "Mine" in not so many words.

"We need to get you home" He said. He was already turning me towards the door.

"I see you did not tell her" Dillon said. I looked from him to Dermot to the weres to find out who he was talking to. Then finally, stupidly I turned to look at Eric.

0o0o0

Well there you have it. That was the longest chapter ever... I am hoping you all have loads to say because I'm dying to hear it…


	20. Family Affairs

I want to apologize I re read chapter 19 and found tons of grammatical errors and awkward and repetitive sentences. I need to slow it down. (I know this is gonna make a certain person crazy) looooool but if anything is worth doing its worth doing right. Anyway I went over the chapter and did major editing. It is much better.

We are getting into the thick of things. Our favorite couple have a lovers spat in this chapter it isn't angsty but you have been warned. I felt it is a very necessary disagreement for them to face. I am dying to find out what side you guys choose. Does it make sense that the side I chose lost the argument?

Chapter Twenty is all yours **Murgatroid-98! **your reviews do not go a totally random side note I usually try to play with peoples screen names and come up with a story for their dedications but girl for the life of me I couldn't think of thing for you…Could you please shoot me a PM and explain the story behind your name. I'm wicked curious or nosey however you look at it. :D

**Sookie**

**Chapter Twenty**

**Family Affairs**

Eric still had me in his arms but when I tried to meet his eyes he wouldn't look at me. I turned to everyone in the room maybe someone would say something.

"What have you done now Dillon?" I would like to know that too. The only person in the room that looked more confused than me was Dermot. He was standing next to his brother and was staring daggers at the side of his face as he spoke. Eric's gaze like Dermot's was fixed on Dillon. Only his was lethal. As his hold on me began to loosen his intentions became clear. I tightened the hold I had on him because my uncle Dillon was going to die if Eric got loose in this house. I have never been surer of anything as I was of that.

It was like leaning on a brick wall. His muscles were coiled to spring . He didn't relax and there was a low growl forming in his chest that was the farthest thing from playful.

"Honey" The palms of my hands were straight down on either sides of me patting his thighs. It didn't do much to get his attention. "Eric" I wanted to know what was going on but not at the expense of anyone's life. He had to get out of here. "Sweetheart let's go home okay" My tone had turned pleading because if he wanted to sweep right past me he would meet as much resistance as a fly blocking a bull. "I want to go home" His posture straightened almost immediately. The look on his face was cold but he opened the door and ushered me through it. Rob and Ty were behind us

It was rare these days for Eric to drive himself around but he drove us home. He left Gideon to ride with Ty and Rob. The drive was quiet. Murderous intent was the only way to describe what he was feeling. It was sort of like a ferocious, rage filled kind of planning. In the small cabin of the car there was just no place to escape it. It was becoming an entity of its own; a third passenger. The smart thing to do when you had a vampire like this would be to leave him alone but I had a different thought.

One person making a decision for two without a clear understanding doesn't always go well for the person being decided for. Eric only tells me what he thinks I should know. Problem was it wasn't always enough. There were times when I went into situations not knowing as much as I needed to and I had gotten beat up on account of it. That could have been the case today. "How bad is it?" I asked. For him to be out of it like this I figured he knew something about the fairies and who beat the tar out of them today.

I thought he wasn't going to answer but when he finally did I had to listen hard despite the ultra-quiet interior of the car. "The fairy who spoke" He took a useless breath. "I have come across him before. He came to me asking an audience with you. He said it was a matter of great importance. I refused his request but he insisted that your people needed you" there was a sneer wrapped around the last half of his sentence. "I attacked him" that sounded like Eric. Nothing about his explanation was out of character. In fact had he acted differently I would have been astounded. I also knew he hadn't managed to get a hold of Dillon or he would have been long gone. I could laugh. My husband wanted to kill my kin. It sounded like such a human problem to have. It was refreshing. Except both sides were very capable and non-hesitant to kill nothing funny there.

I have met Dillon before. He was Dermot's and Fintan's older brother and Niall's oldest son. He must have been the fairy I felt around the grounds when I was at my uncle's house last. I knew not to be afraid of him even though I have only met him once. It appears we were fated to meet under seriously fucked up circumstances. The day I killed the fairy named Murray with my grandmother's trowel I called Niall for help and Dillon came along. I could never forget him in a word he looked outer worldly. Features that would look odd on another person made him even more beautiful. He had hair the color of butterscotch and eyes that matched.

I was confused on one point. Dillon wanted to talk to me he could have just walked up to the door and knocked or had Dermot call me. Talk about the black sheep. The confused look Dermot was wearing earlier pieced it together for me. Whatever was going on he didn't know about it. It may have also been why Claude had him at the bar working more than usual. They were keeping him busy or Claude was more involved than he was. Claude, involved? That statement sounded all kinds of wrong. I decided to leave the pondering for another time I needed to get back to my original point.

"Did he say what it was about?" Only a vampire could maneuver a car seamlessly through the night and deliver a glower to the passenger. I folded my hands over my bloated belly and pretended I didn't notice. He obviously didn't care enough to ask. Talking to Eric right now was pointless. Gideon had a better idea of what was going to happen when we got home because he never showed up at the house.

Gran was a skilled with crafts. She was gifted with knitting, quilting and knitting. She taught me how to do all three but only crocheting stuck. I mastered the basics but I would never be as good as she was. I felt she would be proud to see me trying to make a blanket for my children.

Nothing was set up but I found peace in it just knowing who would one day be living in it. There I was in the room that was supposed to be the nursery minding my business and in comes this stone faced vampire in the door way making outrageous demands. "You will stay away from them" No preamble, no easing into the discussion it has never been his style. I took longer than necessary to place my crochet project down in order to buy time to gather my thoughts. Then I counted to ten in my head.

Since we have been home I had given him space. Frankly I don't think he has had enough because he wasn't being even a little bit rational or tactful. Eric worried about me a lot before I got pregnant. His anxiety when I wasn't with him was now magnified. He was handling it as best as he could but sadly in classic Eric fashion he hated situations he couldn't control and this was one of them. The lack of control had him on edge and he was going to drive us both crazy.

"I think that's something we should talk about" This conversation required delicacy on my part. I had to word my thoughts just right otherwise he was going to end up locking me in a coffin with him during the day.

"Why?" His voice was very businesslike I had no chance of matching it so I went for calm and confident instead.

It was my belief that a cool head in this discussion was going to go a long way but having to explain that little fact to him sucked up a great heap of patience. "You want me to cut off a good portion of the family I have left. I think that's worth a little discussion" It was a shame but I saw Dermot more than I saw Jason. In terms of closeness Dermot won by a land slide. I felt like Eric knew this. He had to know what he was asking me to do couldn't be easy.

"The dangers of being near them are too great. Whatever troubles they are facing are not our own. We owe them nothing." You had to love the preparedness of vampires. While I had been here with my needle art clearing my mind he was off constructing a concrete case as to why as should do what he said.

"You are right" I said. It was the simple truth but it didn't change anything. I was looking towards the window and I told him about how I ran into Ronan at the hotel. "He's a kid. They would have killed him Eric. They came close to it today" I told him about Claude. In a way I was making his case for him. He was quiet and he listened but I knew he didn't care not really. It was the perfect and horrible part of being with Eric. He didn't give a shit about anyone else.

"The fact that someone is closing in around them is all the more reason to distance yourself" His voice was less casual. I shook my head. I knew I was trying to explain something to him that was completely out of his inherent nature and character. He didn't understand it was made worse because he could feel my resolve growing and it made him plenty angry. "Sookie we can't afford to do this especially now our plate is full" His voice was losing its calm and he sounded pretty damn firm. I nodded again. Like I asked he kept the knitty gritty vampire politics to himself but I had some idea of where we stood.

Agent Lattesta was still skulking about looking for proof of all kinds of supe activity. The weres were still unsafe. Eliza of Tennessee has assassinated Curtis of Alabama was now queen of two kingdoms in our territory. She was creepier than Andre and daintier than Sophie-Anne and twice as devious and vicious as Victor. In short she was a problem. Then there were the routine matters of security and maintenance of Eric's throne. He didn't have to tell me he was dealing with a lot.

Everything he said was right but he was also very wrong. "If Pam was in trouble you would do what you could to help her" It wasn't a question. Eric loved her and she was the only thing he could adapt the concept of family to.

He was suppressing his frustration in attempt to reclaim the upper hand in the discussion. "That is different"

"I don't see how"

"They are your family when they need help and not before or after" Keep a cool head. Keep a cool head. I took a deep breath before I could get out my rebuttal Eric delivered the straw that would break the camel's back. "You are playing right into their hands. This is what they want"

"Do you think I don't know when someone is using me?" I have had enough people try to be able to tell. My hands were on either sides of the rocking chair I was in. I used the leverage to get up and I was facing Eric my hands were on my hips. "I didn't always go along because I have no sense of self-preservation or because I didn't have a choice. That is just it. I went because I felt like it is the right thing to do. It has always been that way with you and Alcide and everyone else who wanted a piece of the telepath" As many times as I could afford it I have done the right thing. I guess to him and all those other people looking in I was just being led blindly. I haven't been this angry at him in a very long. He may as well have called me a naïve little girl. when in fact I would kill just one more time to have that luxury again.

Supes always counted humans out it was sometimes to their disadvantage. He really believed everywhere I had been; Dallas; Jackson and New Orleans I didn't have a choice. Forcing me never worked. That shit didn't work out so well for Andre and it was never the case for anyone else. Even when it looked like there wasn't a choice there always was-always. Niall offered to kill Eric for me. Whether or not I cared for Eric it would have absolved a bond I never wanted. That was the best thing for me. It wasn't the right thing-it just wasn't.

In all the things I have done that I never thought I would; all the things that have scarred my mind and body that part of me has remained intact. I felt like it was a miracle and it was all I had left of who I had been; who I wanted to be. I tried to explain all this to him as calmly as I could. "I'm not going along with your decision. I want to help them for a lot of reasons the fact that they may expect me to isn't one of them."

"All those are ideals in a world that requires practicalities" I shook my head stubbornly and began shouting. I could throw something at his head I felt like he wasn't even trying to see.

"You. Don't. Get. It" It was a surprise to us both but he was the only one who reacted. What could be described as growl escaped my lips. He quirked an eyebrow at me but I didn't even take the time to register the looked that went with it. "How is you being with me practical?" I pointed to my stomach. "How is this practical?" He wasn't expecting me to go there and he had no prepared answers. Suddenly this conversation was no longer about helping the fairies. It was about the values we wanted to instill in our children. They differed by a wide margin.

"I want them to do the right thing even if ti isn't the best thing. I want them to help even when there is nothing to gain. I want them see past the worth of a person and see the value of their life" I felt like I was going to cry and there was no place for it in this conversation it was much too heavy. If he saw my point I didn't want to mar the victory with tears if he didn't I didn't want to win by default. I began making my way out of the room when I reached the door Eric placed his hand on my shoulder. Whether his touch was meant as comfort or restraint I couldn't tell. "They are half human there has to be some humanity in them Eric" He couldn't see the treacherous tears that were trailing down in my cheeks. I shrugged out from under his hand and walked down the hall to our bedroom.

I hated myself for it but I went straight into the master bath; turned on the shower and cried. I cried because I was angry but these tears weren't strictly the product of anger. It was expected that my children would have a much longer life than an ordinary human. I wouldn't be around to show them that the value of your life shouldn't be about how long you live but about what you do with the time you were given. It was an ideal some would call useless in the world they would be living in but the thought of them seeing human as fleeting insects was enough to break my heart as I cried now I felt the little tears in my chest.

I don't why I was thinking about this now I suppose my mood couldn't get any lower. I was wrong though. Anthony had shaken a lot of my preconceived notions on vampires. Gideon had done a little of the same. I found myself less appalled by the thought of immortality but I just knew I would not go that way. I learned that it wasn't the actual physical change of being a vampire I found appalling. It was vampire nature and it wasn't going to change so I couldn't become a vampire. This left an expiration date on my life with Eric. His blood would keep me looking young for so many years but I would wither and die like I was supposed to but he would remain and so would our children.

Death wasn't what made me sad. It was that picture without me. Being vampire would mean giving up the newly acquired powers I had. It would mean not being with Claude, Dermot or Hunter. Jason may not even want me around him or his children. Those were all sacrifices I could live with I really could. Nothing was worth becoming someone I couldn't live with, not even my life. That was what Eric couldn't see.

Speaking of the viking he was seated on the bed Indian style with his arms folded across his chest. He must have been gone into downtime to wait me out. His head was down slightly and his hair made long blonde curtains on either sides of his face. It made his tall frame appear rather compact. He was beautiful. He opened his hands out to me and he looked as unsure as I have ever seen him. I went over to him. I was seated between his legs and his arms wrapped around me. He was cradling my tummy.

I knew he hated to concede defeat. "I do not understand" He said. One of his hands made trails across my swollen mid-section. His touch was soothing even though it was feather light. His left hand remained firmly planted around me. "But I see you feel strongly about this and there is nothing I can do" It was a question. I shook my head. He nodded like he expected nothing less. He expected it but he wasn't happy about it. "I love you; and you must understand that it is never my intent to displease you or rob you of your freedom or who you are but all that now holds me to this world is in my arms" I pressed my face into his chest and wrapped my arms around him best as I could.

"I'm sorry. I'm stubborn and half crazy" It was true. I wish I could be all that he wanted but I wasn't. I had this notion to want to do the right thing all the God damn time.

He raised an eyebrow at me. "Half?" Plastered on his face was that grin I loved so very much. I slapped his arm.

"I love you more than anything" I held his face in my hands. I wish we saw eye to eye on this but it was important for him to know. I never wanted him to doubt it again. He smirked and kissed me. He kissed my lips and my forehead. I left my head in his chest willing all the ugliness in the world to go away. His agreement was exclusively for me to see them. It had nothing to do with getting involved whatever they were into. That was a discussion for another day.

"Will you go back tonight?" He asked. I nodded. I was worried about Claude. Last I saw he had a whole in his side and was drowning in his blood. I at least wanted to see he was okay. While I was there I could find out what was going on. For all I knew my involvement would do no good.

He was already pulling me up. "I will go along with this but you will see them only at night" I nodded. Compromises were an alien concept to Eric. If he was putting it on the table I would be a fool not to take I didn't know was when Eric said he would go along he meant it literally.

Eric in the house with me and his full entourage was around the ground of my old farm house. I thought it was a bit of over kill but I didn't dare complain. Vampires loved their presentations. "So are all of them off limits or…" Gideon let his voice trail off rather suggestively.

"Yes" He frowned. He was in front of the front door as Eric and I went inside. There was the smell of good food in the air. My stomach grumbled. Dermot was in the kitchen with his son they were cooking. They were all still here. They had all gotten cleaned up and looking like fairies again. The mother was off in the tightest corner of the kitchen just wishing looks could a fairy could look good with a cereal bowl hair cut the way she did. She was a very slight woman with a round face.

"Hey" It was a very casual greeting considering all the fairies in the room were on high alert with the vampire in the kitchen. Eric didn't even bother looking like he didn't want to kill them. I sat he stood behind me. If I crossed some invisible line that he felt put me too far out of his reach and close to theirs he would shadow my steps. His movements weren't always done at appropriate speeds.

The late dinner we had was uncomfortable but Ronan and I made small talk in an attempt to make believe. "It is nice for us to be together like this" Dillon chimed in. Eric glared at him but it was Dermot who delivered the words of accusation. He did it in a not so delicately manner either; for starters he snorted.

"What my brother means is your vampire guards make us safer here" Dillon didn't respond all that was heard was the clanking of utensils. A-W-K-W-A-R-D. I had been worried about bringing a vampire to a house full of fairies. What I should have been worried about was all the tension within their own numbers. Between Dermot and his brother; my husband and Dillon; Dermot and his child's mother; tension was pinging from corner to corner.

After I ate I went to check on Claude. I had no idea what it was with fairies and vanity but in all the chaos someone had taken the time to fix his hair. There were two fish tails braids hanging down on either side of his face. He was propped on the bed with almost a hand full of pillows looking like sleeping beauty. The sheets were white so his dark hair contrasted for an even more striking appearance. He was topless and the site that had been leaking so much blood was tapped up tight. He also had some bruising, minor scrapes and burns on his face that I didn't notice earlier. His arm was in a sling and his lip was cut. I sat at the edge of the bed and gently took his hand.

"Sookie I need you to do something for me" He said. His voice still sounded raw and raspy from all his screaming earlier. I had to strain to hear him.

"What is it?" In the corner of the room Eric somehow became even more still. He wasn't saying much but I knew it was taking a lot of concentration for him not to kill all the fairies in the house.

"Go and find me someone homely" Color me confused. "I mean really ugly; inbreed if you can, there is an abundance of them in these parts I hear" I laughed. It seemed inappropriate sitting in what could be his death bed. I tried to muffle the giggles by mashing my lips into a hard line but it wasn't enough. I burst out laughing.

"You are such an asshole" I said when I finally got a hold of myself. On the bed Claude was wearing a huge smile. As beaten as he was he still managed to look dazzling, fairies. His request was so very like him. He was joking mostly but I knew he wouldn't object to having an ugly duckling in the room. Claude was going to be just fine and when he was he would be just as conceited but I wouldn't take him any other way. I couldn't help but smile at both realizations.

I looked towards the door of the room to find we weren't alone. Dillon was standing in the wide open door way. I don't how long he had been there. His eyes were shifting from Eric and Claude it was hard to believe he wasn't watching a tennis match. Claude's smile faded as he looked at his father. I ran my hand across the side of his face that wasn't bruised. His expression was nothing like I had ever seen.

"Who did this to you" I asked him "To all of you?" It was his father that answered.

"Elves"

o0o0o0

**That wasn't too bad of a cliffie I don't think. As always let me know what you think. Did anyone guess elves? I am very curious to see.**

**I am closing in on my 300th review! Hooray I'm so excited I never thought I would see the day! but thanks to all you avid reviewers it's gonna happen! {I'm doing the spastic ostrich...also known as my happy dance...I'm lame I know} :D**


	21. A Dark Past

**I'm just offering food for thought: Take a bite.**

"They are your family when they need help and not before or after"

We can't completely discount the fairies as detached to Sookie nor is it always a one sided relationship (as it is with the Shreveport pack). We are forgetting Claudine, Claude and Dermot. Claudine had always helped when she needed her. She died in her defense. Claudine was also pregnant (I am in no way insinuating Sookie should endanger her children) and Claudine also left Sookie a good inheritance. Claude moved in to try and save her from the vengeful fairy Coleman. Let us not forget the role Dermot has taken in her life and the initial reason he came around. Niall spent sent her Preston so she wouldn't be alone Christmas Eve one year. Then he had Christmas dinner with her. Say what you want but he didn't have to come for Sookie when Lochaln and Neave had her. His intentions with allowing her to have children with Eric are unclear but…they are both happy to able to have their children anyway.

A lot of you feel like Eric was right with the above mentioned statement. In my opinion he was wrong and that was where he lost the debate. I may not be doing a good job illustrating it there is more to bonds and marriage than those involved but that was my aim. Before too long vampires will need allies themselves… very soon (dum…dum…dum) :D

Another point I wanted to address is that Sookie is not looking down at vampires or vampirism. She loves and respects Eric there is no debate there. The hurdle for her when it comes to being turned is losing who she is...point blank period. She is trying to reconcile with it but it's not easy. Also Eric never told her the effects of her death on him. He doesn't want to feel she guilty.

Did that sound like a rant? It totally wasn't. I just wanted to address the major point on the reviews.

I almost forgot the most important part of the update: Dedication! As fate would have it chapter 21 belongs to **ericplz! I can only imagine the things you are begging for! :D **It was because of your particularly no nonsense review that this chapter came out early! So enjoy and I hope to hear more from you!

**Sookie**

**Chapter Twenty-One**

**A Dark Past**

I stopped then started trying to recall any and all the things I knew about elves. They were descended from fairies like a host of other creatures ranging from goblins to angels. Their blood was poisonous to vampires-it made them really weak and almost defenseless. I have had one encounter with an elf. In the not too distant past Victor had sent Pam and I on a mission that brought us to Tunica Mississippi. In a strip club called two blondes I met Rudy. He was half human; half elf but a total creep. Needless to say the encounter with him wasn't pleasant so I was already biased. That was the extent of my knowledge.

Dillon continued speaking but I didn't think he was speaking to us. He sounded like he was confessing a sin. "Had he not be living here for so long he would not have survived. His tolerance for iron and lemon is very high" He tried to sound proud that his son had fought so bravely and survived so much but that cover didn't reach his eyes. They had not left his son as he spoke and the expression on his face was unfathomable.

One by one he had watched his children die. What he had suffered was something no parent should ever have to live to see. He has done it twice that I knew of. So had my gran, she never knew I knew but each time her child died a little bit of her died with them. Aunt Linda's death almost broke her especially with Hadley gone. Today Dillon almost faced it for a third time. In a word: heartrending. There was just so much death in my family. I stood up and followed him out of the room. He was in a talking mood, we needed answers and Claude had to rest.

I followed him into the living room. I was thankful that Eric sat too. It made almost sure he was wasn't going to kill anyone. All night he had been like a scowling animated log. I took his hand and we waited for Dillon to start doing some explaining. It was like drawing a line across the board. Eric was seated next to me and we were facing members of my family. I knew how I was related to Dermot, Dillon and Ronan and his mother but I had no idea who the other male called Iain was and how he was tied to this or to me.

Ronan smiled at me from his place under Dermot's arm. I thought he should be somewhere else but with his super hearing he was going to hear anyway. I returned his smile. His mother's pout deepened. She had been frowning all evening. She even managed it while drinking soup. It was quite the parlor trick. It was obvious everyone but they were intent on ignoring her so I was going to do the same where I could. For a few minutes no one said anything, we all just sat. I was vaguely aware of all the void minds that were moving around outside.

Something was off I noticed it as I drank the fairies in. Dillon had on a long sleeve shirt that must belong to Dermot but the bloody bandage was still visible through it. He was a fairy they healed quickly but it didn't look that way for him or the tiny fairy woman. The gash she had been sporting earlier was clean but still very raw looking. Iain had a wound on his head that was similar to hers but it looked aged. Ronan's burns looked about a week old. I wasn't sure what to make of it.

"If you will tell her this tell her all of it" Dermot's voice was calm but I would like to think I knew better. I'd wager he had his own feelings about begin left out of all this.

"Niall has gone to the Summerlands" Dillon said. Dermot looked as broken as I was. Whatever he thought his brother was going to tell me it wasn't that. He didn't know either at least he wasn't in on all of this; whatever this was. It was comforting that all us none pure blooded fairies got the same treatment. We have to stick together I knew that had he known he would have told me. I was sure of that.

Granted Niall was old and I knew I would never see him again but I was just expecting him to outlive me and I never got a chance to thank him. I tried not to cry but I was hurt at the loss of my great grandfather.

Eric didn't understand why the words I just heard made me so sad. _**"He's dead"**_ I translated. The news got a reaction from him. He was still outwardly hostile but he was also curious.

"_**Ask how he met his end"**_ He told me.

Tears were pricking my eyes. I swallowed them back but I couldn't keep my voice from shaking as I spoke. "How?"

"My father lived a long time even for a fairy." I nodded. I already knew as much and it was something to be happy about. In the wake of war and so much senseless death he died of old age. It was a luxury few creatures attained humans also "After the last war he sought out means to bring out the most fertile periods in our species. Magic of that magnitude calls for sacrifice" I don't know why but guilt came crashing down on my shoulders. I couldn't keep from crying then. Eric took my hand and held it in both of his.

"He has gone to the final home of his forebears. In whose mighty company he will know no shame. It is no reason for tears" Ronan's mother spoke firmly and gave me a reproachful look as if I was disgracing Niall by being unhappy that he was dead. I didn't know her but I sure didn't care much for her.

Dillon continued. "As is my birth right the rule of the sky became mine. I am to guard my people-our people and I am failing. In the dark our enemy grew stronger. They were able to breech a portal" Dermot made a noise. It was a mixture of shock and horror. No one had to explain to me that was bad because I knew the portals were still sealed. I also knew fairies were the only creatures allowed in their world. Despite himself Eric was interested but he didn't show it.

"What do you know of elves?" I shook my head I knew little that pretty much equal nothing. Dillon nodded unsurprised. Ronan moved from his father's side and crawled to the fairy named Iain. He wrapped himself around him and I knew he would be asleep in no time. This was a story he has heard before. I on the other hand was going to hear some things that would give me a better look into the past and future of the Fae. Fairies weren't exactly innocent in all this. In fact you could say they started it and in fact you would be right.

"Many creatures are descended from the Fae. Elves as well only they did not naturally evolve and grow from us. They were made by a fairy who sought to create something in his image" That was shocking but not very hard to believe. I could see a fairy being full of themselves enough to do something like that. Dillon's had his elbows resting on his knees. The small wrinkles on his face were pronounced. I didn't know exactly what that round figure was on his age but he was old and he looked his age. "My grandfather's grandfather many grandfathers ago by the name of Kellan did this. Much like what my father did for you. Humans have so accurately dubbed it a god complex."

This was different. I couldn't explain how but it just was. Niall knew I wanted a child whether I was willing to admit or not. He knew it wasn't possible with Eric and he knew that was who I wanted. It was different than creating something in his image because he was so in love with himself. I let his incorrect assumption go unanswered because it wasn't essential to the overall point

"They do not have any Fae weaknesses but they are weaker. Because of this they were used as slaves and treated with less than no dignity" I could see why he would want to keep that from me. I was glad Dermot didn't let him. "Soon they rebelled. That was the first great war of the elves" Dermot just loved to go against the grain. I glanced his way quickly he gave me small smile. He owned a bow that was used by their greatest archer; Draco something or another. "That war gained them their independence. But Kellan cursed them and being their creator it carried very much weight. With this curse he bound them to their treachery and cast them from Faery; never to know a home, never to rest in living or in dying." I thought treachery was an interesting choice of words. Why was it so surprising that someone turned against you because you treated them like dirt? Once just once I would like to see a one species of supes get along with another. Sigh.

"They cannot enter the summerlands" Dermot clarified.

"It is said that he sent them to the very axis of fire and earth"

"The cusp of the underworld" Dermot translated. I was just absorbing information. I didn't think I had enough facts to make an informed decision or formulated any thoughts on the matter but the Fae were looking like the bad guys as it stands right now. I tried not to look as disgusted as I felt by what this Kellan person had done. I wasn't sure if he had done it out of plain old cruelty or superciliousness. Noticing the less than friendly look on my face Dillon shrugged he was too tired to pretend to care.

"While I regret what was done I am not willing to die for the misdeeds of my ancestors." That was fair enough. He was old but I knew he wasn't old enough to have had a hand in it. It was history and it was ugly. We didn't write it we only lived with the consequences of it. It was like someone holding me personally responsible for any slaves any Stackhouse may have owned. According to what I knew of my family they didn't own any; they were always too poor.

"Since that day no elf has ever been able to enter our world" There wasn't a hard fast rule with magic, and curses and the like. Maybe the curse of Kellan was wearing off. Maybe the elves had gotten stronger over the ages. I hated that they were after fairies but no living thing deserved to be sent to the cusp of hell.

"How did they get into your world" His answer was short as not to leave any room for misinterpretation from those present.

"They had e aid of a vampire. That was why I went to your husband" I was looking at him to make sure I heard right and he nodded. That was interesting. Vampires in this state already had issues with weres and random attacks against both species. I wouldn't think they would pick a fight with fairies.

"How do know a vampire is involved?"

"I could smell it" Iain said more defensively than was necessary.

"I saw her with my own eyes" Dillon confirmed.

Eric would have to look into matters that involved a vampire but he needed something concrete. Beside me he was trying to muster up skepticism but he couldn't. Fairies couldn't tell direct lies and Dillon has been giving us nothing but direct answers. There were a lot of questions to answer. A vampire helping elves to take out fairies would have fairy blood to gain. That was all I could think of. There were very few that would be doing all this just to chase a high. It would be an almost endless supply. They could sell it the profit would be monumental. Vampires like everyone else valued money.

A rouge vampire was one thing. Hopefully it would be a vampire from our state and this would be easier to deal with. If another royal was behind this then there wasn't much we could do for the Fae. Unless we were protecting our assets we couldn't intervene. Even if we could it wouldn't be through waging war. we would have to go to court. Yes vampires were very bureaucratic. Anything else other than going through the systems would have to be a takeover. Neither of those things were something we wanted to do. First things first identify this vampire. Humans used sketch artists. Bill had the vampire rolodex. Dillon could look through it and hopefully his assailant would be in there.

"What vampire?" I knew Eric wanted to ask but he was obviously going to leave the talking to me while we were here.

Dillon shrugged his shoulders. "I do not know"

First things first the vampire behind this would have to be identified. Dillon was the only one that could do that. If she was out of the picture the fairies would stand a better chance on their own against the elves. It was all that we could do for them. There was no way we were fighting their battles.

"Have you declared war?" Eric asked. He sounded completely put out by having to address Dillon directly but I was deep in own thoughts. He was going to have to use his own mouth if he had any more questions.

Iain was the one who took that question and his disdain almost matched Eric's I say almost because he was cradling a child he just couldn't look that scary. "It was not for us to decide. War is upon us" Eric gave him a blank stare that flawlessly displayed just how little he cared about his troubles.

"Fairies of the sky and water have bound together" He nodded his head at Ronan's mother.

The tiny woman spoke and she was speaking with an air of nobility instead of hostility it was a very welcomed change. "I am Lyra Riverngale. I hold dominion over the water" I tried not to flinch when I heard her title. "I too regret the suffering of half breeds in the recent war, but not all fairies of the water believed such things" I nodded. Her words would have had more weight had she not been looking out the window as she spoke. "When they breeched our world Dillon and I pushed them back and we sealed all the entry ways in our blood, spark and magic" I didn't know what that meant but it sounded like a heady thing that had all kinds of disaster written in it.

"They need to kill us both. No other means will be viable" Dillon translated. He was real matter of fact about it. She nodded. It wouldn't be hard to do. I took another good look ant her and Dillon. A fairies spark and magic made them what they were. They had given theirs up. I would bet money they were almost as weak as a strong human.

"What happens if they…" I let my voice trail off. I thought it would have been terribly insensitive to say "kill you guys" but I had to know the stakes.

"Faery will fall into shadow" to summarize what I thought I understood: It was the end of Faery as they knew it. That truth weighed heavily in the room and it all but sucked all the air from it. We were all feeling the mass of it except Eric of course. His bland expression did not shift as he offered a suggestion that was both very apathetic and very practical.

"Relinquish your home and find another" All the fairies in the room minus Ronan (He was dead sleep) turned to give my hubby a looked that was defiant and non-too friendly. Hey opened their mouths to say a few choice words but Dillon raised his hand and they all took a gulp of air instead.

"This is not a fight over land or pedigree" He said. For the first time since we started our little Q&A session his eyes weren't on me. They were on Eric. "Their goal is extermination not acquisition"

I gasped "Then why didn't you bring more people to help" They were just a group of rag tag royals. After they whopping they took today I didn't know how long they would last. I was also curious as to why they didn't split up.

"All who are here were closest that night and we had to make haste. Also many of our fighters are female" Lyra said. "They are with child or have just given birth." I nodded. "We cannot leave them defenseless. On this plain we have a better chance at remaining hidden. It will give us what we need most; time" Don't ask me why they were choosing this world as a battle ground either but I guess everyone did.

I made a face. That was their game plan? Hide here on earth. I wasn't one to encourage anyone to fight but hiding and being hunted like a dog was a shitty way to live no matter how short a time. Lyra would be toting her son about as well.

"They attacked all of you today" Eric asked. "How did they find you?"

"It was my mistake" Iain said and he looked torn. "I tried to get him a safe passage back home" He patted Ronan's back. I couldn't imagine what it was like to want to save a child so desperately. I didn't want to I would turn into a blubbering mess. "It gave away his location and they closed in very quickly" Eric moved his gaze to Dillon. I though he felt something as Iain spoke but he shifted his focus quickly and his emotions changed with it. I never registered what it was.

"Why is your face familiar?" Dillon smiled almost immediately and I knew this wasn't going anywhere good.

"I was once referred to as "raining death" by your kind" It was time to go. Eric told me Vampires and fairies had fought against each other once upon a time. The fact that my uncle Dillon had earned a nickname from vampires was perfect, just fucking perfect. I didn't ask for an explanation and no one offered one.

Eric stood and walked to the door. He opened it by the tiniest margin for a brief moment then he closed it. After two minutes he reopened it. When he came back and joined us he had several copies of Bill's vampire rolodex. I tried to smother my happiness at the fact that he was going to find the vampire that was after them. He placed the cases on the table. Bill had been busy. His vampire software had several new additions now.

"Do you have a computer?" Eric asked and in doing so he had lost them. From the blank looks on their faces he could have changed languages. They didn't even look like they knew where to begin making a guess as to what a computer was. God help them. I could see why they couldn't split up. Two of them were weaker and it was kind of obvious why they had needed Claude too. None of them knew enough about life here to survive alone. They all turned to Dermot to translate he simply nodded.

It was like an assembly line. Lyra picked it up and carefully examined the label on the boxes containing Bill's software. Then she passed it along to Iain who did the same and then passed it to Dillon.

I got the distinct feeling he thought it worked like a magic mirror or something. "It will show me her face if I wish" Dillon asked. He was trying not to sound like he was marveling at the thought but he totally was. He was turning it around as if it should make with the showing already. I explained that he would have to look through all the editions by way of computer to find the face he recognized. Iain asked me if it held scents too. I shook my head as impassively as I could.

Eric came and helped me out of my seat and spared them a parting scowl. "Goodnight" I said to them. Everyone else gave me a nod of their head. Dermot hugged me and they all cringed as he came within arm's reach of Eric. At the door turned to take one more look at all the fairies that were truly bereft. My eyes drifted to the room where Claude was sleeping. I looked to where Ronan was laying on Iain. I hoped that something could be done.

Eric and I didn't discuss anything that happened with the visit. I didn't think he had to tell me anything. I knew the extent of what he was willing to do and I was grateful for that much. At some point on the high way I fell asleep. I wished I could have stayed that way. I woke in the middle of the night and found that Eric and Gideon were both gone. It wasn't surprising they did most of their work while I slept.

I found an old romance novel I never got to finish and decided to wait up. Three pages after I gave up on the book. I stroked my stomach. "Please go to sleep mommy's tired" I took a bath to calm them; I had tea and a warm glass of milk; nothing worked. It was very close to dawn when Eric came home and found me talking to my baby bump. Gideon gave me a wave and headed for his room.

"What's wrong?" Eric asked. I shook my head.

"Nothing they aren't letting me get any sleep" I yawned and stretched. He smiled as he lifted me off the couch. I was carried in Rhett and Scarlett fashion to the bedroom. Eric lay with me. He rubbed my tummy and hummed wordlessly. The minute his children stopped moving I was out like a light. He must have known I was going to sleep through the day same as him because he made the room light tight and we slept in bed together.

"Wake up lover" I threw my arm over my head in protest and turned away from him. He chuckled. "I can't have my children starving. You need to eat" There was great smelling food here. It made my stomach rumble at embarrassing volumes. I woke up and saw a tray of food on the night stand. I was dealing with two equally strong desires. I had to empty my bladder but the food smelled good and looked even better. In the end my bladder won.

My dinner was half a baked chicken with potatoes and vegetable for sides. I had my choice of water, milk or a can of soda for drinks. I must be dreaming. No one here cooked besides me but it didn't look bought. I looked at Eric who was wearing a smug smile.

"Is it supposed to be difficult?" I kissed him.

"You are…" Words failed me if I wasn't careful I was going to start crying. These days it didn't take much but I believe had he prepared me a meal and I wasn't pregnant I still would have gotten teary eyed. I couldn't believe he had gone as far as cooking me a meal a good one at that. It wasn't something women could even expect from human men.

"Perfect" He supplied. I kissed him again because I couldn't have said it better myself.

"Yes, Thank you sweetheart" Before I could dig in he presented me with a bottle of blood. It wasn't as cold as I usually liked but it was didn't smell or taste as disgusting. While I ate Eric showered. It said something about my appetite that I finished a huge meal before he finished his shower. I meet him and Gideon at the door when they were ready to go.

"Indira and Alana are around if you have need" Meaning he wouldn't be. The way they were dressed told me they would be traveling alone and remaining unseen. I worried about him when he did his vampire business. Eric was old and Powerful and Gideon was able to protect him but I still worried.

"Will you be back late?" He shook his head.

"We need to see Pam" A rueful smile was on my face at the mention of Pam. I never thought I would miss her snarly remarks and humor as much as I did. We kept in contact via email but I couldn't talk to her the way I wanted unless it was face to face. Neither of us has been able to manage it since her wedding. But I was worried about her happiness and I felt bad that there wasn't much I could do from here. Eric said. "It is her own fault her melancholy persists" Dermot still refused to talk about her. Every time I brought her up her threatened her life each time it was more creative than the last. I stopped bringing it up and so I had no way of knowing how she really was and it made me feel worse.

"Tell her I miss her and I love her" I knew she probably wouldn't return the sentiment but if nothing else she would laugh about what a human I was being.

"He said Pam. You know that right?" Gideon replied. He was making a face that quesioned my sanity.

"Yes Pam" I repeated rolling my eyes.

Eric nodded to my request and kissed me goodbye. As he and Gideon slipped out the side door of the house I fought the urge to say, "Be careful". Eric was always careful but sometimes no matter how careful someone was bad things happened to them.

I cleaned up and found some work to do from home. David had sent several emails during the day. For the next hour I looked through function invites and invoices for the area. A new Fangtasia was in the works and there were contractors that had to be paid, permits to be requested. David was sending me preliminary resumes for prospective managers to run it once it opened. The resumes were for show because I only had to meet them once to know. I was working and snaking happily when my body froze and I whipped my head to the left.

Eric was in trouble. Going off what I was feeling it wasn't bad but it would be. My panic coupled with the anxiety of both Eric and Gideon was damn near crippling. I thought through it. I didn't even think twice about it. No one here would get to him in time. He and Gideon had been gone almost two hours. I was going to send the only other person in this world I could trust.

"Dermot" He was in front of me in record time. "You have to help me" I begged.

0o0o0o

That wraps up chapter Twenty-One...Come on people no pitch forks and torches I know the cliffie was was evil...if you have thoughts complaints and concerns you know where to voice them :D

The next Chapter reveals the vampire antagonist in all this. If anyone guesses who it is I will eat my shorts! LOOOOOOOOOOOL


	22. Vampire Ghost

**WolfEagle! **Chapter 22 is all you. Of all the guesses yours came closest. Kudos! I hope you don't mind your name being attached to the chapter where shit starts to hit the fan.

**Eric**

**Chapter Twenty-Two**

**Vampire Ghost**

It was well after first dark but Sookie was still asleep. She wasn't feeling unwell she was just tired. Most of the night a position that offered comfort eluded her because of the activity level of the children. I would never admit it to her but it pleased me that they appeared to me nocturnal as they grew. While she slept I took the time to try my hand at something out of the ordinary.

Preparing a human meal was interesting. It was something I had done a hand full of times in previous centuries in an attempt to throw suspicion. Gideon helped but surprisingly he was very little help. He told me what entrée went with what side dishes but he usually bought him food in his past life. He complied something acceptable and I did the rest by following directions I found a book. I was quite pleased with myself.

It only reaffirmed my assessment that there was nothing I was incapable of accomplishing. The smell of the food was not appealing to my senses but it wasn't intolerable. The only downside of preparing a meal was having the scent cling to me. Such a thing would make me easy to find even with the dullest senses. Overall the experience was worth the trouble because Sookie enjoyed it and I felt better doing something more for her.

We were barely outside the grounds when I turned to Gideon. "Stay with her"

"No" I scowled at him. Unlike Pam he was much more obedient, he complained less and rarely had a snide comment to offer. He also didn't have to have the last word. With his military background he was already good at taking orders. In his young age he was yet to disagree with me on anything. All vampires were like this with their makers because they knew nothing else when they were made but I could already see it. I gather in a century he would be worse than Pam ever was. They were both alike in the sense that they refused to do as they were told when they felt it was in my best interest. He was showing me images of the last time I left him behind and traveled with Pam. Sookie was more than safe in the house and she was going to stay there he reasoned. It wouldn't be worth my trouble to argue or give him an edict. I changed tactics.

"Pam would love to hear that you think she is incapable of watching my back around Isaiah no less" I smiled. She would wipe the floor with him if ever I suggested such a thing and he knew it. He put his hands up.

"No sir. That's not what I said but I'm coming with you all the same" He opened my door and climbed into the driver's seat. Usually we took a Mercedes sedan when the two of us traveled. Tonight he opted for something leaner and geared for speed. Arkansas was our destination. It was going to be a very quick trip; quiet and off the radar. I wanted to know if Pam or Isaiah had such unusual activities to report from their states or any of our neighbors. We were also due to discuss the Eliza problem. I was not counting her out of anything.

As we moved through the night more thoughts entered my mind they were of an unpleasant nature because I felt the one thing I was attempting to prevent was happening. Last night was as enlightening as it was unnerving. The fairies that had now taken up residence in Sookie's former residence brought with them difficult choices that I had to face.

Niall was dead. It was a good day for very many creatures. The prince was a feared and respected figure in the world of the supernatural. He has been growing even more powerful in his old age and in a fight he would make a formidable opponent. His passing troubled me only because it invalidated a fairly solid theory I had concocted. The fairy coming to me was a sign that there was some impending conflict of some sort amongst the fairies. I thought Niall was attempting to use Sookie and the gift he had given us to force me into his corner. It appears I was mistaken. It made all this all the more troubling especially coupled with the vampire.

It was a guess but I assumed the vampire had to be old and whatever aid he was offering the elves lay in a mixture of their blood and some spell. Elves in my opinion could be just as tricky and vicious as fairies with the added detriment of being poisonous. It was all something I wanted no parts of. However, being that a vampire also had a role in what was befalling the Fae I had a duty to uphold the order in my state. I was very curious. I had never one to believe in coincidences. The fact that a vampire was single handedly decimating vampire-were relations through the south was not an accident and neither was the situation with the fairies. I felt those two were correlated but I saw no rational explanation as to why. An elf was more than capable or wreaking havoc on the two natured, but why would they bother? And why use vampire Henchmen? I suppose the gain of unlimited fairy blood was a big enough draw but it didn't seem like a strong enough incentive for such extreme actions. There was no debating the attacks on the two natured and helping exterminate the fairies was extreme. All this could be a distraction from a bigger plot but I had no idea what or whom was behind it all.

All I had to go on right now were my own speculations and baseless facts that were delivered to me by fairies. I could not completely abide by their words. They had their own agenda be it their survival or something else. I was not in a place to make a final decision but I knew Sookie's prolonged contact with them was going to make it problematic to draw my line when the time came. I wanted to make her happy but my position on the whole thing has not changed regardless of the unfortunate perils they were facing. Fairies would not get involved in a fight for us. I was not going to choose sides with or against them. I wanted them to take their strife to someone else's state. The problem was finding a gentle way to explain this to her. She valued the family she had and she was a naturally caring person it was not going to be easy.

There were heavy woodlands that would offer a shorter route to the meeting place between Arkansas and Louisiana. It was a messenger path. Members of the original regime were familiar with it. Gideon and I parked under cover of thick brushes and continued the journey on foot. From this course there was about a thirty minute light sprint to the outskirts of little rock.

The only thing that gave me warning was that scent; the same one that hung in the air after the assault on Pam's estate. It was the same scent that was impossible to track. The same one that was present at the bar of the shifter. It descended like a blanket as we reached the middle of the woods. My sense of smell was more acute than that of my child. He immediately stood to my back when he picked up on my change in stance. We were surrounded. He handed me two hawk style daggers. I did not have to check to know he was armed as well. We rotated to get a full view of all the people that surrounded us. Total there was a dozen. I would have figured another state was behind this attack. It was bold to attack me so close to the boundaries of my state and that of Pam's. As I looked I could not identify any of the faces which meant that none had any ranking. It was insulting when someone sent inferior underlings to kill me given my old age and title.

From the looks of our assailants they were very young. They were young when their human lives had ended. They were all new as well vampires. It was in their faces. Their eyes were darting around their surroundings it was a sign of anxiety in young ones. I was willing to wager there wasn't a single one that has seen a half a century of life. I could not identify a leader. They were all wearing similar expressions vacillating from fear to excitement. Their bodies were humming and I saw the focus shift in their eyes when they became blinded by blood lust.

Beside me Gideon was losing himself as well. He snarled and slipped into a crouch. He wanted to charge the crowd but I needed him to remain still. It was a big challenge with all the blood that would be spilled. He was very young and would give into instinct in a fight of this magnitude. Such a thing would make him a liability because he would not be fighting smart. Against these odds he would be less likely to survive.

"What do you do when there is no escape?" I felt his body calm slightly as he remembered his training. He repeated the answer to himself then outwardly to me.

In his voice there was no fear. "Surrender" That was not an option here we both knew that; not to mention it was an affront to his personal philosophy.

"When surrender is not an option?" The movements of our feet were in tune. Our two man circle was rotating in a constricted motion within the larger one we were trapped in. I knew his focus was back. He was removing his jacket and I was pulling my hair from my face.

"Fight hard; fight smart" He concluded the basic battle strategies that has kept me alive for so many centuries. I have had many close scrapes with the true death this would not be one of them. I had too much to lose. This would not be my end.

"Stay with me no matter what" My advantage in the air would be lost but his ability made up for the deficit. Our best strategy was to have him blind as many as he could and I would pick off the others. If he could not maintain his vision then I would have to do all the fighting. The advancing line stopped all at once. They lurched like puppets whose strings had to been pulled taught much too abruptly and with excessive force. I could not pick up a scent but that gave them away. I knew they all shared the same sire. This was despicable by standards of the most degenerate vampire. It was then I saw the person responsible; my former queen.

My steps faltered and I stopped moving as did Gideon. "Sophie-Anne" It was a question. I couldn't be seeing what I thought I was seeing. This couldn't be. I took in an intentional breath to catch her familiar scent but it was useless. The sappy poignant aroma weighed all in its essences. My gaze was piercing as I tried to find some evidence of a ruse or that she was now more than vampire I saw none. Her body still glowed in the moon as it should. There was no breath of signs of life from her apart from the undead sort. She survived the takeover.

Her death had been nothing but a widely accepted myth. If nothing else was apparent about Sophie-Anne she was a survivor. Her human life was tragic for many years before she was made vampire. Her children worshiped her. They would have faced a thousand suns in her defense. There was no possible way Sigebert her child and personal guard had survived the hostile takeover and she hadn't. I should have known; when he returned to Bon Temps I assumed he was coming to seek vengeance. He had been a messenger. Sophie-Anne knew I was loyal to her as were many vampires in my area many of us were strong. In her time of need she would have turned to area five for people loyal to her.

That plan had gone terribly awry. Having a telepathic link to her children allowed her to know the situation without having to expose herself to danger. When Seigebert saw me with Felipe he must have deemed me a traitor; an instrument to the usurping of his maker. After all I was the only sheriff that was spared and left with his ranking intact. That in itself was evidence enough. All this time she had been lying in wait, plotting her vengeance and healing from her grave injuries. Her body had mended entirely but her mind was broken.

Sophie-Anne did not have to speak for me to know she has taken leave of her senses. Her hair was cut and dyed like Andre's. She appeared even younger than she had been when her human life ended. His familiar saber was strapped across her chest. There was feverish look in her eyes but in their depths were sadness. She was wearing a white t-shirt and a pair of jeans and knee high boots. In all the years I have known her she was never dressed in anything other than the finest; even before she was queen.

Gideon was going to begin tampering with her sight I stopped him. I wanted to keep her talking. With Sophie Anne's presence and Gideon's ability this fight was too evenly matched. I did not like our odds. Sookie could feel what I was feeling she would send help if she hadn't already.

"Eric" she said sweetly. "You do not look happy to see me" She was circling us as she spoke I moved with her to keep her in my sights. She was old and if she had the element of surprise Gideon would not last against her even with his ability.

"I am surprised" that was nothing but the truth. "Not an easy to do. I am one of few that can say I have seen it all" She laughed as if my attempt at humor was well received. "To what do I owe the honor?"

I was wondering if this was attempt at a takeover because it was sorry at best. The vampires in our state will no longer recognize her as queen even if she managed to kill me here. In fact they may execute her on sight for abandoning them. Many of our colleagues were lost during the takeover. Many of us suffered after under the rule of Felipe and Victor. Knowing she still lived would have provided much needed morale.

"I want to show you something" She said coyly she stopped moving and the circle parted and the Ancient Pythoness was kicked inside it. She fell forward on her hands and knees. Her unseeing eyes had a silver chain wrapped around them it coiled around her neck and gagged her as well. Her hands were also bound with silver chains. My attempt to keep cool and drag this out evaporated. I was outraged.

"Sophie Anne you go too far, have you gone mad?" I knew the answer to that question. Given all the suffered before the takeover she had become unhinged. Making all these children at the same time was what has broken her sanity. The constant push and pull of all those emotions; sharing a telepathic link to all those bodies; having your blood spread out so thinly over so many vessels. I would say she was poisoning her children with her toxic feelings. It was more a less a cycle of unhealthy blood exchanges. It was like Ocella and Alexei. As Alexei ailed his emotions polluted Ocella making him more sadistic and cantankerous. When he gave Alexei blood to curb his deteriorating mind he was just giving back what he was receiving. Sophie-Anne was suffering the same but magnified by at least a dozen. That act was depraved enough. What she was doing was now was unspeakable. By vampire law she was committing a crime against the entire species by attacking the ancient one.

"No, Eric I most certainly have not" She went over to the Pythoness and gripped her by her hair. They were both facing me. "It is you who is blind, so very blind. Can you not see? Our existence is a game. The orchestrations of which begins with her" I could not even begin to make heads or tails of her rambling.

"What you are doing will serve no purpose. Stop this" I was trying to implore her to see reason but I knew it was a lost cause. I was attempting to slow her hand and find an opening to end her.

"It will, my dear. It will. I will take the very foundation of vampire hierarchy in these lands and I will splinter it down to its smallest fragment. In that chaos I will make my war. From the ashes a new era will rise. It will be glorious" She was out of her mind-clearly.

"Why do you threaten the Fae? They have no stake in our world" I knew it was her. There was no way another crazy vampire was roaming about raising hell. I was not that unlucky. She shrugged.

"Nothing can be gained without sacrificing something of equal or greater value" Elves weren't using a vampire henchmen a vampire was using them. They wanted the downfall of the Fae she would aid them and in return they would help her accomplish this. The two natured were a distraction to send me chasing after a shadow in a room full of smoke.

"Anarchy, you want to see our world burn. Your will has turned to madness Sophie-Anne please stop this" This wasn't just going to affect vampires, elves and fairies. Her actions would include all supes in this plane. It was going to lead to a supernatural world war. She had been strategically placing the pieces and this was the flame that would ignite it.

An indulgent look played across her face it was like she was explaining a complex concept to a simple child.

"Quite the opposite I want peace Eric. This world, the world we have created is wrong. We are wrong" Her eyes were pensive but still half crazed. "We will self-destruct. Everywhere there is pain and death; deaths that are deemed acceptable by a council, and for what?" Her gaze moved to Gideon and she smiled knowing I was keeping her in my sights for his benefit. "I want peace Eric. A world with no more dead Hadley's and fallen angels like my Andre. No more fallen guardians like my Wigebert and Sigebert" Her eyes were running over all the new children she has made. There was no emotion there. She was weeping for all that she has been robbed of. I was waiting for her to wipe her tears but she was no fool. "No more takeovers and sanctioned murders in the name of king and country. Every monarch in every state in every territory will fall. There will be nothing to fight over"

The picture she painted was a fantasy. When I was younger I too had one day hoped for the same. Eradication of the careful game all of us were forced to play; the spying; the deceit; the necessity to rise and conquer it would be gone. Sadly vampires needed order; a hierarchy that was clear and concise. Otherwise we would embrace savagery as we once did. There were hefty consequences on both sides of the sound where that argument was concerned. "Can't you see it? It will be beautiful" She was almost crooning at the idea.

"Sophie-Anne, listen to me. This is not the way. I know, believe me I know" My voice was soft and placating. It was to avail my new title automatically made me her enemy.

"No your majesty you do not" Her voice was cold. I shook my head to disagree.

"I do" The pain of losing a child was something only a vampire who has suffered it could understand. I have suffered it once and though I knew I should not I pitied her. This was a leader that I once respected. She had been good to me when she was queen. I had been loyal to her and a part of me felt like I had failed her. I held her eyes in mine as if I could glamour her.

I was attempting to buy the Pythoness some much needed time. "I want the same. You know me. I have desired peace amongst our kind I always have but this is not the way" More tears fell from her harrowed eyes as I spoke. I saw so much pain but also resolve; unreasoning and unswerving. I was desperate and so I continued my useless attempts at dissuading her madness "I want to help you Sophie. Let me help you" I held both my hands out to her dropping my daggers to the floor. I beckoned her to me as if there weren't more than twenty feet between us "You and I, we can come up with another way but not this…not like this" She looked at my hand. Hers was shaking as she extended it and for a moment I thought she would take it but she continued to raise her hand to draw Andre's blade from its sheath.

"Gideon" her eyes lost their focus but it was not enough. Simultaneously I ducked to retrieve my daggers and he threw one of his at her. The angle he threw it allowed it to clear her ribs and hit its mark but it still wasn't enough. She was intent on the final death of the Pythoness. She swung wildly several times and the Pythoness lost her head.

The blitz ensued. Sophie Anne stumbled from the fray blindly pulling the silver tipped dagger from her chest. Her pawns came to die in her place. Gideon's range was roughly fifteen feet but limit has never been tested it appeared to be five. I had not made a single kill when out of the night came an unmistakable aroma; fairies. I recognized Dermot, Dillon, and Iain. Their presence shattered the focus of Sophie-Anne's minions.

Contrary to Andre and Hadley they were not created out of love; loneliness or even desire. They were instruments that weren't supposed to last; sheep's for slaughter. They were made to die in this senseless war of hers. I doubt any of them knew anything about the world of the supernatural other than what they saw on television. The ones that could see ignored me to chase after fairy. The fight was over quickly. In truth it was not a fight. It was a massacre; one that I partook in with a heavy heart. I killed the ones that weren't blinded. The fairies eagerly butchered the rest. I looked away. It felt inherently wrong to watch fairies kill my kind and bear it. Sophie-Anne had to die or she was going to bring about nothing but more scenes like this.

"Gideon do not speak or breathe" I grabbed a hold of his shoulder. The odor that obscured the trail was helping minimize the scent of the fairies and helping him maintain focus.

"Elfish magic" Iain said. He waved his hand the thick scent evaporated as quickly as it descended. Even then I knew Sophie-Anne was long gone. I patted Gideon on the shoulder and his vision returned. He was eyeing the fairies but remained at my side with strenuous effort.

"Your wife called me" Dermot said. I nodded. It didn't matter that I was now in their debt because we all had the same problem. I went over to the ashes of what had been the highest authority in the new world. The chains had fallen. Her clothing was still weighed down by the chains that had bound her body.

Pam landed not a stone's throw from where Gideon and I were kneeled. Her eyes quickly examined the scene but when they rested on the pile of ashes before me. She too dropped to her knees. What she was seeing was impossible and for the first time since I have known her Pam looked afraid. Our circle grew as Tristan arrived. He was followed by Isaiah and his second in command Bruce . We knelt and not even the scent of three fairies in the night could lift what we were feeling. In any and all dispute she had been uncompromising in her impartiality. I was angry. She did not deserve to die for Sophie-Anne's madness. Gideon placed a hand on my shoulder. He looked at me. I saw it there in his eyes. This was just the beginning. Open war was now upon us whether we would risk it or not.

"It is unwise to linger" Dillon said. He looked uncomfortable. "She will send them here"

"Let them come" Bruce said. Dermot scoffed at him without really ever looking in his direction.

"I told her I would bring you home" He said to me. His words pulled Pam from her moment of silence. Her eyes ran over him looking for signs of harm. She was relieved but it quickly turned to pain as he disappeared without acknowledging her concern; her presence or even her existence.

Having nothing else to do here we cleaned up the scene and left. I needed to get home. I needed to plan and I needed to plan well.

0o0o0o

Okay **WolfEagle **I hope you enjoyed your chapter and I hope everyone liked it as well. Happy Easter to all those who acknowledge it!

**Have a thought about the story? You know what to do with it. Review!**


	23. Old Friends New Allies

I totally lost myself for a few days…Blame it all on Athenaie for igniting a love of what could be the greatest band ever, Duran Duran! I saw the wild boys in concert and they blew the roof off the joint! They are touring and may be coming to a city near you! Seeing them live is unbelievable.

Now I am back and I hope you guys aren't too mad at me. The next chapter is setting the tone for the chapters to come.

The dedication for this chapter goes out to the one, the only, the stupendous...**B-Rock525! **In your review you asked all the right questions. Lets get to answering some of them.

**Eric**

**Chapter Twenty-Three**

**Old Friends; New Allies**

Blood stained our bodies and soiled our clothes. We convened at the trunk of the car. Gideon wiped himself down and changed. I did the same.

"Where are you parked?" Pam asked Tristan.

"On the side of the highway"

"Find someone close by and have it moved"

"It has been done I took the liberty to move theirs" He nodded at his head at Isaiah and Bruce. Tristan did not know any more than the others about what transpired but he disliked Isaiah and was looking to send blame his way. If we could find proof of any transgressions by him against her. He would be lucky to keep the clothes on his back when she was through with him.

"We will ride with you" Isaiah said. I nodded. Gideon drove with the others to the house. Pam and I flew overhead.

In the light of such odds Pam was not leaving my side and so I too now had to deal with the presence of her husband. Isaiah did not have to accompany us. He did not need the details but he knew the closer he was to Sookie, Pam, and I the safer he would be. I could not say if he was mistaken in that assumption.

Had their union been the standard arrangement Pam would be within her rights to ask him to leave her. Sadly the terms of their wedding were a little less free. It was set to last only half a century in which time she would tighten her hold over her state and we would reassess her position of power. In gaining that concession Isaiah made their union more binding. He could see her as much as he wished pertaining he did not interfere with her affairs of spent more time in Arkansas than he did in his own state. It was our hope that Pam's kingdom would be able to stand independent from mine. When the time came she could be free of Isaiah if she wished and I knew she very much wished to be free of him. He tried her patience with his mostly marauder view on wife ownership from his times. That in itself was irritating enough. The fact that being his wife came at the cost of the man she loved made it all the more infuriating for her.

Before I landed the backdoor opened and I could see Sookie in the in the entry way. Her hands were rubbing her stomach and I knew she was trying to calm herself. The level of anxiety she was feeling could not be healthy. Her eyes seemed to be searching the night sky for me.

Her head was in my chest the instant my feet touched ground. She clung to me "Don't cry" I rubbed her back and tried get her to calm down. "I am well" she wiped her eyes and raised her eyes to meet mine. I smiled and kissed her head. She looked to the left of me and finally registered Pam's presence. Her face lit. I knew regardless of why the two were happy to see each other. She hugged her without letting go of my hand.

"Sookie you are very pregnant" Pam observed when they separated. I glared at her. My child read a lot about humans; female humans but she was not as well versed as she would like people to think. I marveled at Sookie's figure every night when I rose. To me it was a source of wonder but Gideon told me I was never to mention anything about her growing girth no matter how marvelous I thought it was. Pam's observation left me feeling like I was going to see more tears or a flare of anger but Sookie laughed and took her by the hand and we went inside.

Gideon was already inside and so was Tristan. The front door was open to offer us an unobstructed view of an irritated Isaiah. They needed an invitation. The safest place for any vampire was the home of a mortal. This home belonged to Sookie. She looked to me. He did not need an invitation because he was not going to be staying here. We were all leaving for the main house of the complex. I only stopped at home so Sookie wouldn't worry.

"Gideon, show our guest to the business house" He bowed but muttered something like "Tried that" It was successful this time because Pam left with them.

"What happened?" Sookie asked once we were alone. It was not something I wanted to discuss with her mainly because I did not fully understand it myself. I did not want to frighten her, there was also much to be done so I did not have the time.

"We will talk later lover. I need to go" I could see she wanted to argue but didn't. She didn't argue because she intended on coming with me. The atmosphere was not one I wanted in. I could hardly tell her to stay home and sleep she woke later than the youngest vampire today. Reluctant I allowed her to accompany me. Along the route to the other house Gideon was waiting.

"I sent Heidi to the scene" I nodded. It was a good call. Whatever magic Sophie-Anne was using to obscure her trail would be less effective. She left the fight bleeding and I had hopes that that would make her easier to track. I hoped but doubt over shadowed it. Unfortunately for us she was insane but not stupid. She would not leave a bloody trail to her lair.

"All our forces are to report to this estate or the Manor in Vacherie"

"What about those stationed away on business?" He meant our eyes in other kingdoms. It was of the out most importance they return. It may help me gain a much needed vantage point.

"They are all to pull back from their respective posts and report back here by midnight tomorrow. Send Daintha to Russell and Stan with letters requesting an audience. Send out orders of repeal to all visitors and liaisons in the state. Indira will be of good use to you. I want all this done quietly" He nodded and blended into the night. The last thing I needed was to cause unrest. There would be enough of that when the final death of the Ancient Pythoness became public knowledge. Stan and I had a more established business relationship than Russell and I but I wasn't sure who would answer first.

The main house was already teeming with activity. Isaiah and Bruce had been served refreshments. They were seated in the large dining room along with Pam. Tristan was nowhere to be seen it was odd. He never left Pam's side especially with her husband around.

I sat Sookie in the chair closest to mine. Her figure was drawing a bemused expression from Bruce. "Where is your child?" I asked Pam. I cued a change in language that set Isaiah frowning.

"With yours" I nodded. "He is making arrangements for us to stay I am assuming it will be necessary" I nodded.

"Feel free to include the rest of us in the discussion" Isaiah said. "We don't mind" I ignored him.

"What happened? Who ended the Pythoness" Bruce said in more leveled tone. Beside me Sookie tensed. This was why I wanted her to remain at home. I could not edit my words for them the way I wanted to for her sake.

"_**Stay calm"**_ I took her hand. She did not agree but I knew she would try. I told them all what happened. When I was finished speaking all in the room was stock still and silent. Pam looked lost; Isaiah confused; Bruce skeptical; Sookie anxious.

Pam was the first to break the silence that was quickly becoming deafening. "You are certain of this" She asked that for the benefit of all; she has never doubted me.

"Absolutely"

"I do not understand" Isaiah said. "There is nothing for her to gain in all this"

That would have been a good angle to begin assessing the actions of your opponent but not in this situation. Sophie-Anne was very well outside the boundaries of sanity and reason. Pam rolled her eyes infinitesimal amount.

"My dearest husband she is mad personal gain is not a motive"

"Eric" Sookie spoke before Isaiah could utter more words of idiocy.

"How did she know where you were going to be and when?" Again her shrewdness surprised me though it should not. It was a very obvious point to consider. It wasn't the point of ambush that told me someone had given me away it was the timing. Sophie-Anne herself had used that path during the negotiations with Peter. Andre had used it. We were all familiar with it. It was assumed that you would be traveling light when you used that path. No one at home knew where I was going aside from my wife. I only informed Pam by a message that was sealed by a witch. I knew she too only informed Tristan. Isaiah was the leak obviously. All our eyes were on him and Bruce.

"Again with this?" Bruce was exasperated instead of anxious as he should be. "It is not our benefit to end either of you"I ignored his banter. My gaze was on Isaiah his silence told me he was not careful as he should have been about our meeting."No one knew except us..."

"And Christopher" Isaiah added. Bruce's eyes narrowed and he vanished from the room to deal with their security issue.

"Call France" Isaiah suggested. Pam pinched the bridge of her nose and shook her head ever so slightly. I would not bother Cohan with this. An out of control vampire; especially one that was insane was the responsibility to all the vampires in the area. I could not hunt her alone it would spread my forces too thin. In this situation I did not have to. She has committed a crime against all vampires of the new world. She has also made enemies of the two natured. In a collaborated effort we could find her and mitigate the damage she has done. She was reaching too high. Her plans would not succeed.

The thought of being on the right side of Cohan when he unleashed hell was an exciting concept. Isaiah was very eager to test. So much so it clouded his judgment. He should keep quiet and let Bruce do the talking.

"She is wounded" Pam asked. "A tracker is there now" If nothing else her blood would give me the proof I needed to convince others, and it would also give us a scent for the wolves to follow. If we found her soon enough the silver in her blood would make her easy to eliminate.

"In the mean time I ask the hospitality of your state for myself and my people" Pam said. Her eyes were on Sookie who was smiling brightly.

"Sure thing" It would be a good time to punish Pam for the many things she had done but I was not that cruel. I knew she would have to stay in the house with us. If she was housed anywhere on this complex Isaiah would plague her and there would be no escape. Until the chaos that surrounded the end of the Pythoness blew over we would have to stay together.

"I request the same" Isaiah said. His eyes were on me. I nodded was it anyone but Pam I would not tolerate his presence.

"Alana" She presented herself in the room. "Your majesty"

"See that Isaiah's housing needs are taken care of" He left with her.

"Could you please show her to the house" Sookie hesitated. I smiled to pacify her because she was worried about leaving me but I couldn't work with her here. She needed to relax for me to get anything done and Pam would help her. The easiest things took so much effort for her now. She insisted on standing on her own which made Pam laugh. They left hand in hand.

I spent the next three hours combing through any and all places Sophie-Anne had lived. Her rule had been lengthy so the list was extensive. The list included cemeteries; churches and houses that were deeded under aliases. During the takeover she had to have hidden somewhere close enough to listen but far enough from harm. The credit card receipts she had during recent years helped to track her movements even then I felt like what I sought couldn't be found here. I did not think she would risk traveling by the major means and she was wounded so she couldn't get far. That was if the elves did not have other means to move her in that case she could be anywhere. I growled in frustration.

"I need a clean phone" I called out. I needed to contact Rasul. He could give me a listing of all the estates she had during her rule as well as a list of safe houses that only those close to her knew of. Even if he didn't know them all he could give us a general direction of where to begin searching. Every few minutes while I worked a vampire of my state would come through the entry way to check in with Indira. She would tell them which house to report to and whom they would be nesting with during their mandated stay here.

"I need a phone" I said again. I was irritated and this was the second time I was voicing this request. "I find it odd that I have to ask twice" I was seated at the head of the table and my hand was held out I was looking down and reading over incident reports. While the trouble of the weres was reaching its breaking point there have been more and more attacks against vampires. None so far have resulted in fatalities. The reports in front of me came from Rasul, Maxwell, and Thalia. I was comparing all they had written against all that Heidi had written on what she has found or not found in all the attacks. I felt the weight in my hand as Alana dropped a phone into it. The first call went out to Rasul.

The next went to my day man "Find me Copley Carmicheal" I hung up. David sounded as though I had woken him. If I was him I would have my wits about me because he had less than five minutes to fulfill this order.

"Is Edgar here?" That question was not directed at anyone in particular but someone had better answer. The response came from the depressing creature in the flesh.

"I am your majesty" He bowed deeply. He was not alone. Bubba was trailing his footsteps like a lost puppy. He mimicked his movements but added a smile. It was disturbing. They have been inseparable. It said something about Edgar that the only other vampire he found interesting was Bubba. Seeing Bubba made a thought occurr to me and I dismissed Edgar and waved him forward. He came closer than normal vampires would have.

He smiled sheepishly. "Hello Mr. Eric" I smothered my irritation at the nights events so I could handle him properly. Getting the right answers out of him required finesse and patience.

"Think carefully. Have you seen people that look like regular people but smell different but not good to eat" He was the only vampire that traveled these southern states freely. He looked confused but I knew he was deep in thought. I rested my chin over my interlaced fingers and waited.

"I don't know" He became a bit apprehensive. Anxiety made him difficult to handle.

"Just tell me what you know" I smiled and ushered for him to continue.

"I saw a whole bunch. I think. They are like the pretty ones that smell real sweet but they aien't"

That was as lamely as one could describe a full blooded elf. "Yes, I want to know where and when you saw this"

"When I was with Mr. Russell I went for a walk and found I wasn't in his state anymore"

"Where were you?" I asked unable to mask the intensity in my voice. He knew something useful I could feel it.

"Alabama" My eyes tightened; fucking Eliza and that idiot Curtis. They would get in bed with Sophie-Anne and elves. I had no idea what promises they had been made but it would only end in their demise. Curtis could attest to that much. I was sure his kingdom was promised to Eliza for her help.

"Tell me more" I urged.

"I was walking they were and they were talking with some vampires I didn't pay them no mind" It was probably only reason why he was still in front of me now. This was bad. It was one thing for Sophie-Anne to wage war against us with the help of elves and her own made army but it was another thing entirely to have the power of two states backing her.

"When did you see this?"

"Two days before I came here" I nodded. Time was not on my side.

"That is all. Thank you, you did very well" He smiled.

"I went by to see Miss. Sookie but she's gone" I nodded.

"She is here with me now. Go and say hello she will be happy to see you" He smiled and bounded out of the room.

"Edgar" He entered the room appearing slightly gloomier without his odd companion. "Reach out to the packs you have been watching have their leaders present themselves here at midnight in three days' time" He bowed and left. The phone in my hand rang I knew it was Carmicheal.

"Eric"

Absolute hell was going to reign over these lands and soon. "I want the human task force out of my state" I have never made demands upon him and in my current state of being I left no room for him to misunderstanding; this was not a request.

"I can't make it go away just like that. It is a federal thing. I need to speak with the governor and the senator" He was not a politician but for all the ones he had in his pocket he didn't have to be.

"I want them gone whatever it takes" I liked Copley well enough. From the dealings we have had I knew he was not forth coming but he was smart; smart enough to know he could never double cross me and live to tell of it. It kept him as honest as a man of his caliber could be. He was also smart enough to know something was going on and I did not want extra pairs of human eyes about; eyes that were trained on the world of the supernatural.

"But why would you want it gone they are looking into matters and taking pressure off you" I was not going to dignify him with a response.

"I need this done. I will call before dawn to inquire about your progress; impress me" I hung up.

"Indira" She appeared in the room. She appeared anxious because of my mood "Who has not checked in?" She consulted a laptop in her arms. It held the unclassified version of the Louisiana rooster. It kept track of our visitors and main-streamers all those non-essential to the make-up of my hierarchy she maintained this list for the entire state. It helped tighten the net to easily uncover spies, rogues and other potential threats.

"All have made contact. Most are en route to either destinations or have provided estimated times of arrival within the limits that has been decreed" Her eyes were on her computer as she continued with her briefing. "The majority of visitors are requesting a reasonable cause hearing with his majesty as to the basis of their expulsion from his state"

"How many requests for hearings have you received?"

"Fifteen in all" I did not have time for this bullshit. The initial reaction I had was to threaten them for questioning me. It wouldn't do, even in this chaos I had to maintain order after all it was what I was fighting to uphold. By law they had a right to this request and a fir hearing or be left in peace. I knew I had several spies in that bunch. Tristan was less diplomatic in that matter than I. He killed off those that he had proof were spying. Others had the sense to retreat or abandon their cause. Spies were inevitable the trick was to control the depth of their infiltration. I let known what they thought was my business. In truth they were all seeing what I wanted them to see and nothing more. The ones I could not fool I kept occupied with mindless tasks. A few belonged to Russell and Bertrand. One belonged to Felipe and another that I could not be sure of belonged to Stan.

"Grant these eight hearings" Bill's kin Judith was on the list the remaining were drifters and mainstreamers who wanted to relocate. "They are to present themselves here once all of ours have been provided lodgings. Inform the others they are not under my protection and so remain here at their own risk" That was warning enough. I gave her back the computer and went back to work.

"Bill wants to speak with you" Gideon said in a peeved tone. He had returned and he was holding his phone out to me. He had not had to spend much time with Bill but the night he spent while I was away with Pam was enough for a few decades. "Bill chapped his ass" as he so eloquently phrased it. He had less patience for him right now we both did.

I took the phone "Why do I have to leave my house and why is Judith being kicked out of the state?" Compton had certain privileges. The problem with that was that he knew it. It left him free to question me where no other under my rule would. I answered him now because he was a valued member of the state not because he was harping.

"Do as you are told Bill. Trust me you do not want to be alone come tomorrow night"

"What about Judith?" I could already hear him moving.

"Bring her if you wish but you will get here with in the time allotted" I hung up. I got a status report from Gideon. By his assessment Diantha should be leaving Texas. She was to drop a letter containing Stan's reply to her uncle when she crossed Louisiana on her way to Mississippi.

"Tris has emptied out Arkansas of essential personnel. So has Bruce" That was not surprising. The more numbers we had here the safer we would be. With all major targets gone there would be no point in mounting an attack against that state.

I cut the call I was making to Carmichael short. Diantha delivered. She had done scores better than a letter of response. Two hours before dawn King Stan and a dozen of his closest were at the gate of the complex asking permission to enter the grounds. Amongst the vampires in his entourage was his second Joseph. Joseph had served him well after Rhodes when he was so badly injured. It was only because of him that Stan managed to maintain his hold over the state. Isabel and Farrell were present. As well as all his sheriffs and their respective lieutenants. He also brought along his telepath. Stan was showing a lot of faith and it would serve him well.

"Stan" I said offering him a deep nod of my head. "You are most welcome"

"Eric" He was tense to be so far from home and so deep in the home of another monarch with his people. He was looking around himself and the amount of activity did not avoid his notice. Beside him Joseph was a mirror of hostility. I was sure to remain a respectful distance away from them.

"Where is your queen?" He asked. "Is all well" He did not care but the thought of having me in his debt was irresistible. It was a known fact that Sookie was usually in some form of trouble.

"Yes but we have other problems" I said. He nodded for me to continue but I couldn't dawn was fast approaching and their housing needs had not yet been arrange. I showed them to Indira.

**0o0o0o0**

**0o0o0o**

**0o0o0o  
**

**B-Rock525** you totally Rock! Take a bow!

Chapter Twenty-Four is coming right up. It is half way done so there won't be a lot of waiting involved. Again please direct any and all angry mobs Athenaie's way!


	24. Making Do

Okay I have been lost reading the book. I know you guys didn't miss me because you are probably doing the same. I am not going to spoil the book for those of you who haven't finished it but I was disappointed by the direction things are going. I did feel good that some of the elements I put into my Viking and Valkyrie as well as this FF were incorporated in this book! I was quite pleased with myself.

Any who now that that's done we need to move along. I know a lengthy break in between chapters seriously disrupts the flow of reading…Sorry…I am officially out of excuses and it won't happen again…probably…most likely…maybe :D

Dedication for this chapter goes to **Toni9536**…I am working to get you off those pins and needles. Hopefully this chapter will bring you one step closer.

**Sookie**

**Chapter Twenty-Four**

**Making Do**

Because I woke up in one of those moods with one of those feelings I headed for Bon Temps on this beautiful Saturday morning. To say last night had been eventful would have been the understatement of the millennium. It almost came out of my mouth but at the last second I thought better of it but the first thing I thought of when I heard Sophie-Anne was still undead was "vampire ghost. When Pam and I came back to the house we discussed her human life. She knew some details I didn't and I told her what the former queen had told me. In the end we decided that you just couldn't keep a good vampire like her down which wouldn't be a problem except she was apparently bat shit crazy.

She attacked Eric and Gideon last night and killed the Ancient Pythoness. From what Eric said she was making her own army which was perpetuating her debilitating mental condition. She was also the one behind the elf trouble threatening my Fae kin. There was no solid proof but Pam thought she was behind the attack on her estate as well as the attacks on the two natured. They suspected her to be associated with the end of Curtis of Alabama. Like I said there was no proof of the latter accusation but the way I figure at this point there was nothing you could put past her.

Pam was trying not to scare me but I asked her to explain the big deal of killing the Ancient Pythoness. The way I figured vampires killed each other for all kinds of reasons. It surprised me-albeit pleasantly that no one has used her weakness to hurt her long ago. That she managed to rise to such a high position in the vampire world was a mystery in itself. Yes she was supposed to see the future and she was oldest vampire (appearance wise) that there was but I didn't understand all the high levels anxiety that was permanently settled into all the crevices of Eric's body or Pam's for that matter. I didn't see why an old and blind vampire was such a big deal to them. It sounded unkind to my ears but why couldn't she be replaced? After all there was another council that decided on matters when I was at Rhodes.

"She is the highest law in these lands for my kind" Pam had said.

"Like our president" She thought about it for a second then nodded slowly; reluctantly to leave room for differentiation between the two.

"Yes but she more…revered…she is sacred; an archaic pillar for all our customs, traditions, but most importantly she maintain order" I tried to envision vampires without law and order but the image was too much. The look on face was so full of horror that Pam promptly shut her mouth and painted our nails.

I tried not to think while I was in the shower. Today I would try to focus on less severe things but things that were just as serious. That sentence was a little convoluted but was everything else.

A good while later I was standing in front of my brother's home. From the front porch we could smell the unmistakable aroma of barbecue and a low stream of music could be heard from the house. In the heat of the day all I could stand was a tank dress. It was light and airy and hid nothing but I was well past the hiding stage. That wasn't the goal today even if it was an option. I was jumpy despite my resolve. Rob was holding the dish I had prepared and his brother was holding Jason and his new wife's belated wedding and an early baby shower gift. It gave me nothing to focus my eyes on as we waited for the door to open. I could already feel my nervous and crazy smile creeping onto my face.

I had been trying and trying to make time to tell my brother I was pregnant but life just hadn't allowed. Okay. that wasn't entirely true. I knew it was going to be unpleasant to deal with so I had been grateful for life's many distractions. Now the life event of last night propelled me to do the descent thing. He was my only bother and the only other Stackhouse in this world that I knew of. He may not always have been the best big brother and our relationship hadn't been easy but he was my family. Michele answered the door. I haven't seen her since my goodbye party at Merlotte's. Jason had told me that she was pregnant but she must have been more than a few months at the time. There she was in front of me bare feet and pregnant with a serving spoon in hand. It was irrelevant and slightly depressing but I felt I was still huge compared to her.

Michele usually didn't have an opinion about things that weren't her problem. It was one of the reasons why thought she was so good for Jason. She wasn't blinded by his looks and she had brains enough for the both of them. I knew she wouldn't think twice about going upside his head if he deserved it. Right now Michele's only thought was "Oh shit" it was stringing though her mind a variety of ways but that was pretty much the gist of it. It was also written across her face clear as day. I had counted to ten one and half times by the time she got a hold of herself. In the meantime my crazy smile was in full effect.

"Sookie" She extended her hand out to me in place of a hug. Two seriously pregnant women hugging was a challenge; like a game of Tetris on level six. I took her hand and she gave mine a squeeze. I returned it. "It's good to see you" I could see and feel she was happy to see me because Jason had been talking about me a lot. Though now that I was here she was uneasy much like someone who was going to have to defuse a bomb without all the proper tools.

"Hey Michele, it's good to see you too and congratulations" She was nodding but looking at my guards. My nerves were getting the better of me and I was being ill-mannered.

"These nice fellas are Rob and Ty" I pointed them out as I made introductions. Ty even offered her a 'good afternoon mam'. Rob made no such attempt he just nodded her general direction in acknowledgment.

"Nice to meet you all, come on in"

I could see through to the back porch where my brother was tending to the grill. After taking a deep breath I moved through the sliding doors and joined him. He was in the middle of flipping a piece of chicken so he didn't turn right away. When he did his expression as he drank me in was one of…fear and anger. I stayed clear out of his head because even he didn't look like he wanted to be in it. Then he turned his back to me. This would have been easier if I wasn't so far along. I have planned on telling him the day he so callously showed up with Alcide and Calvin to dinner.

"I'll leave" I said softly. I cared enough about my brother to want him to stop me but he didn't. I turned and walked through the glass doors. Tears were pooling in my eyes but I kept my head straight and my eyes slightly widened to keep them from falling. Rob and Ty came to flank me as I began heading for the door.

"Wait" Michele said. I knew she pitied me and it made me want to run for it but it that much more but it would have been rude and I needed one friend in this house for the sake of my unborn niece or nephew.

"It's okay" I said and in a way it was. "I should go" I was wrong to have held this from him as long as I did. He was entitled to feel his own way about it. Coupled with his ideas on how I got pregnant seeing my husband was a vampire it was a bit much. Maybe it would change with time maybe it wouldn't but I had told him…well shown him.

"Now that's not fair to him" I was going to give her a belligerent look but I just didn't have it in me but thank God for Rob and Ty. They offered her a double feature scowl. "I know it is hard to see but Jason thinks the world of you" either I was a shitty telepath or she was the best ever. "You can't show up and drop something like this on him and expect him to take it well" In her head she was thinking Jason had the emotional range of a teaspoon. Good of her for not saying so no matter how true it was. "Giving life is no reason for this kind of negativity" Her words made me lose the tight hold I had over my tear ducts. I agreed with her wholeheartedly. It was for that same reason that I was slow to tell the people I felt would bring negativity. She brought me a Kleenex and rubbed my back. "Just let me talk him" I nodded because it wasn't every day I got help dealing with my brother.

Ty helped me onto the couch and I sipped a can of diet coke. "It'll be alright" He said patting my arm awkwardly. I think he said that because he thought he ought to say something. Perhaps it felt like he was fulfilling his role as my guard by offering those words. I smiled weakly and nodded.

"We can make him talk to you" Rob said. Like his brother I felt like he was offering from a sense of duty but in general he struck me as someone you would beat the crap out of someone with little provocation or incentive. His brother and I both stared at him. He had the nerve to look as if we had thrown the best gift he had given out the window.

"Something is really wrong with you Robinson, you know that right?" I had to agree with Ty there but I felt good that he was being considerate enough of me emotionally to cause my brother bodily harm because honestly he looked mean as junk yard dog on most days and surly on others.

We sat quietly and waited I was careful not to eavesdrop with either hearing. It felt like forever until Michele came waddling in through the door with my brother in tow. He had his hands in his pockets and his lips were mashed into a thin line so taut they looked in danger of sealing shut for good. Michele was wearing a strained but triumphant smile. I felt bad for causing a riff between the two of them but not enough to be unhappy that Jason may take a second to listen to what I had to say-whatever the hell that was.

"Hey we'll give you guys a minute" Her eyes went to my bodyguards they made no signs of moving. This stomped all over Jason's last nerve although by my recollections he only had three; four on Easter Sunday and Christmas.

"I'm not going to hurt her" and he was downright indignant.

"No one said that" Ty said calmly. All the while Rob was looking rather supercilious as if to say I should have taken his offer and let them beat Jason until he loved me again. I took a deep breath.

"Its fine guys" They followed Michele onto the porch they sat so their eyes were fixed on the glass doors and they could see clearly into the house.

For a tense couple of minutes Jason just stood there his thoughts in a snarl.

"I don't get it. If you wanted to have babies why did you marry a vamp Sook?" There was no anger in his voice and I was still keeping out of his head so I didn't know what he was thinking but he looked sad. "I don't know a lot about that world but I know you do and I know you have been hurt because of it. You can't have a kid around vampires. It's not safe" He said. I would have told him where to go but I was in his head as he spoke just then. My brother had taken his time getting there but he was thinking about other people. His words didn't come out quite right but he was worried about me. I knew my brother loved me but he wasn't one to get bent out of shape over someone else's troubles. Right now that was the case. He was worried about me and my unborn children. For that reason I gave a different less belligerent reply.

"Weres are dangerous too and your kid is going to be around them plenty"

"It's not the same" Maybe not because Eric was a king and there was a whole load of other shit involved.

"Humans are dangerous" No one who had known an ounce of pain and suffering could deny that. "Fairies are dangerous" I could have gone on listing all sorts of creatures but I felt like my brother was getting my point. "I will protect my young just as strongly no matter what world they are in or who they are around same as you and anyone else" His lips were puckered and I knew that face. He was fighting logic to hold on to his argument.

"Eric is alright with you…with this. I'm surprised he didn't wring your neck" He was very serious. It said something about me that I was able to laugh about that whether it was a good or bad something I couldn't say at the moment.

"He wants me to be happy" I said simply. That was nothing but the truth.

Jason hadn't gotten over the shock of it but he didn't see how his not talking to me would make it better. Having nothing else he wanted to say or hear on the matter he offered me food. "Are you hungry?" He asked. I nodded too enthusiastically and it made him smile. It was a small smile and he tried to hide it but I saw. He helped me up and we joined the others on the back porch.

Michele and I kind of ignored them and talked about babies and pregnancy. Minus Doctor Ludwig and Eric there wasn't a single person I have had this kind of conversation with. This was just two soon to be first time moms sharing one another's excitement. I told them I was having twins but I wanted to be surprised. They were having a daughter. She hadn't wanted to know but Jason wasn't able to keep his mouth shut. It thrilled me that we were due around the same time. She showed me baby things and talked about her birth plan. Mine was simple. If she could avoid it Doctor Ludwig didn't want to put any artificial substances into my body. That meant no pain medication during labor and delivery. She couldn't be sure if it would have any adverse effects on the children. I had been trying not to think about it but I knew child birth was going to be hell.

My brother wanted to ask me questions about the person responsible for my condition but he was too embarrassed. He felt like there were something's a man shouldn't have to know about his sister. Thank God. He has heard through the grape vine how Eric was about me. The words possessive and crazy came up a whole bunch. He figured the guy was dead or this was done artificially. That was just how we left it.

I know I shouldn't but I was in the area so I dropped in on the fairy refugees that had taken up residence in my old farm house. After all I owed them a thank you. Dermot was in no way obliged to go to Eric when I needed him to. I also wanted to check on Claude. So I headed there against the growling protests of my body guards. I turned onto the long wooded road that would bring me to the turn off to the house and I felt something. It was like someone poured sunlight down my back. It wasn't just me because Ty stiffen and Rob stopped the car. They became all kinds of hostile.

I thought I saw Dermot in the shadows. Yup that was my uncle looking like a bad ass fairy Mounty on duty. Let me tell you there were some people that wouldn't have minded death at his hands he looked so good. His sword was across his chest. He was in a White tank top and light blue jeans. His hair had several braids in in but it was all pulled in a ponytail high on his head that showed his pointy ears. He had Ronan trailing his steps. He looked like a smaller version of his father. I looked around but I couldn't see her but I knew Lyra wasn't too far away.

"If they change right now their insides will turn to mashed potatoes" It was said in the same voice as you'll get wet if you go outside.

"Guys please" They didn't like fairies any more than fairies like them. Under the circumstances they were extra skittish. They were making all the noises that usually went along with a transformation and their shadows were contorting as the structure of their face morphed. "cool it, just breath" I didn't know if that would work but I knew the calmer they were the more in control they would be of their metamorphosis. I wanted a few minutes and they shimmering of their features began to slow and they were themselves again.

"Hello cousin" Ronan said with a dazzling smile and wave. I returned it.

"How-de-do" He was a little confused but figured it was some kind of native greeting.

"Wards" Dermot explained as he and Ronan got in the car.

"That's a little extreme" He gave me look that said I was being a little dim witted.

That comment was thought less. "Sorry that was a stupid thing to say" A crazy vampire was helping their enemies exterminate their species. I would say extreme was called for. I was just a little startled that a ward could do that to someone "turn their insides to mashed potatoes" who comes up with this stiff? The wards Amelia had put on my house were only made to prevent entry to those who wanted to harm me. What happened to something like that? Then again Victor had been able to get close enough to set my house on fire so it wasn't that great.

"What about humans?" A traveling sales man or the UPS man could fall victim to this and I just didn't trust my uncle to come out and stop this every time. If I was being honest with myself I knew he wouldn't.

"It is meant for anything supernatural. No human will be comfortable anywhere in the area even long before they reach the boundaries of the ward" He carefully failed to mention what would happen if said human pressed on despite their discomfort. I was just as careful not to ask.

"Were I need to touch you to allow you entry" He patted them each on the shoulder without waiting on a response.

"What about me?" I asked. Dermot turned and gave me a Jason kind of smile and gave me a one handed hug. Though as he later explained to me it wasn't necessary I was fairy enough for the wards to accept me. While I got a tickle down my back that felt like sunlight my bodyguards got fire down theirs…yes it was the worst of times.

Dermot told me he had never been able to reconcile both halves of his origin. It was surprising enough to know he had a child but he had them with a water fairy. I truly doubted that was common. Now that I had a second I was mad that he hadn't told me I had a cousin by him. The thought of more family always made me happy. We didn't share secret or anything but sometimes when we were together and he felt like it he would tell me about his life. I knew he had his reasons and he did not owe it to me but I was still upset he hadn't told me about Ronan. I wanted to ask if he had other children and how he ever got along with Lyra long enough to make a baby. The two appeared like water and oil.

On our way into the house Dermot had one of my hands his son held the other. The circumstances had not robbed them of their touchy feely-ness in fact it made it a little worse. I opened the door to find Iain's lips locked to Claude's. It was made all the more disturbing because Dillon (Claude's father) was in the room on the same couch as his child. I was going to avert my eyes but I saw it wasn't a kiss. Their lips were touching but not moving. Iain pulled away and got a lung full of air and returned to Claude's waiting lips.

"He is breathing into him; to heal him" Dermot explained. "Though the blood of his enemies would do more" he mused. I have heard and seen stranger things so I just sat down and waited. When they had finished I looked at Claude and saw the bruises on his face was gone. So were his cuts and burns. His arm was also out of the sling. The site where he had been stabbed and Dermot had burned closed looked old. I was amazed.

"Welcome my great niece" Dillon said with a nod of his head. He was adjusting Claude after his healing session. His son's head was now on his lap and he wrapped his arms around him. Claude was playing with his father's hair absent mindedly. It was kind of confusing because Claude was well over a century old and he was cuddling with his daddy. I stopped staring and returned thegreeting I received.

"Hi Uncle Dillon" I smiled at him it was mixture of something forced and my genuine happiness that he looks scores better than he had the last time I saw him.

"You have not been properly introduced. This is Iain Riverngale younger brother to Lyra" I turned to Iain and offered him a nod and a smile. His face was blank. I would call his greeting begrudging but it would have been generous of me.

"I just wanted to say…" Dermot coughed-very very loudly. We all looked at him. He picked up a nearby glass of water with his eyes still on me. They were screaming "No".

Oh right! I almost forgot. Never say "thank you" to a fairy. It puts you in their debt. Having manners was almost a life of servitude around them. "I wanted to say you didn't have to go to Eric last night and I appreciate it" I couldn't read the look on Iain's face; I would say he was disappointed but both he and Dillon nodded their acknowledgment. We already knew as much but Dillon had picked Sophie-Anne out of the lineup. Iain didn't try to hide the fact that he was happy that she has now made enemies of a vampire king in fact he was happy. They didn't know why she went after Eric and I didn't volunteer. I didn't volunteer she has killed the law for vampires either.

"How are you guys holding up?" I wanted to 'add aside from the obvious' but it seemed in poor taste. I should have because Claude made me regret it.

"Perfect" He said from under his father's arm "Peachy fucking keen" That was my cousin alright. I wanted to believe it was a good thing that he was well and himself again but found myself missing the Claude from last night. This Claude was all too familiar to me. He was a rude snob whose personality chaffed against my patience.

"Is there anything you need?" Just like that his face lit into a beaming smile that would break hearts everywhere. I was cursing myself.

"Money" Iain said. No subtleties there. They all glared at him. I was willing to bet this was something they had discussed but this wasn't how he was supposed to go about it.

"We cannot remain in the same place for too long" Dillon explained. I nodded in understanding. They couldn't be on the run with nothing but I was confused.

"What about the wards?" What was the point of going through all of that if they weren't going to stay?

"I am the only one up holding it" Iain said. "I also have to treat who is wounded" He looked very put out by this. He was complaining and he wasn't hiding that fact either. "And I must keep my pathway open" He lost me there.

"His gift is sensing and calling. Any that leave our home world for the fight can call out to him and he can call them"

"Yes and it is exhausting to keep it open night and day."

"Why are you the only one doing it?"

"I am the only one strong enough" I knew that wasn't the whole truth but I didn't pry. It wasn't as if I was spilling my guts either plus I had my suspicions as to why that as the case.

"Let me see what I can do. I'll call tonight" I had an idea for them to be safe as they waited for reinforcements but I didn't dear offer I had to check with Eric.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

Okay that was Chapter Twenty Four…I have some tough decisions to make. Some of our favorite characters are going to die…I have to find how to set that up. I know there wasn't much going on in that chapter but I wanted to ask what you guys thought about other things.

There will undoubtedly be an epic battle. I am thinking if I should stave off the birth of the children until after or if I should write the birth chapter so Sookie can be with Eric when that fight happens.

For those of you who are curious Cohan isn't coming to this fight and I will explain why. Seeing that he isn't coming he can "babysit". But for now I just wanted to ask those question so I can know which way to spin it they both feel equally attractive to me. I'm taking votes. I will tally them Wednesday night, so let me know…

Toni9536 since this is your chapter I say your vote gets two points! Thanks again for reading!


	25. Setting The Board

Dedication for this chapter goes out to **Rikku Ree**…for being totally random but funny. For a reason I cannot explain your review makes me think of Michael Scott from the office. I know that in itself was random I thought you could appreciate it!

I put a poll at the end of the last chapter asking you guys which way you wanted things go and it amused the heck outta me that a lot of were as torn as I was. Only about a hand full of people actually voted one way. Many of you wished me luck and someone said they have been pleased with my direction so far. I'm going to stop second guessing myself. Ummm…with that in mind here we go. I hope you guys like it.

**Eric**

**Chapter Twenty-Five**

**Setting The Board**

"Who was that?" Pam was up stairs in my bedroom as I entered the house but with our senses the distance was negligible.

"Stan has come"

I found a blood in the fridge. As my drink warmed I was leaving a list of errands for my day man. The most important of which was to research consequences of the relocation process for the other half of the complex. This property was less than a year old. It was relatively small compared to others. There were only fifty seven homes total but I valued the location above all else. Guard posts were strategically built into the stone wall that fenced in the grounds. Each post was facing a cardinal direction with avid eyes around you couldn't miss anything. We were isolated; to come this far out into Shreveport you would have to either be lost of looking for us.

The problem I was having at the moment was how to handle the forty two other homes on the property I rented out for revenue. These homes were separated by a manmade lake and heavy foliage. Not to mention there were more than three acres separating those homes and the ones I used for entertaining, business and housing my close entourage as well as Sookie and I. I knew I was going to need more space but I couldn't evict all those people it was bad for business. If it came to it, if we went to war I would need the money. Stan and his people had taken up two homes but I knew he was going to send for more bodies if he chose to remain here. I would estimate the numbers would be the same for Russell if he showed. Same was true for Isaiah and Pam. My own people had been flocking in. I was going to call those from Vacherie to come here. They were vulnerable in that location. The Shreveport estate was a better strong hold and could act as a fort if the need arose. It provided both a good defensive and offensive position. There were other homes; a spacious mansion in Baton Rouge; the estate in Alexandria where we fought Felipe a few months back. Those were all good choices but Sophie-Anne was familiar with all of them. We could not relocate.

"How long has she been sleeping?" When I entered the master bedroom Pam was sitting next to Sookie in bed. She was rubbing her back gently as she slept.

"Not long" She answered. I could see she had painted Sookie's fingers and toes a shade of red and she too was sporting the same color polish. Pam had done an excellent job distracting her and keeping her calm while I worked. Not that she would ever admit to it but she enjoyed the process. She was able to do human things with Sookie without the usual tedium that came with other humans.

"Did she eat?" Pam made a face. I knew she hated to feel like a baby sitter but she answered with a snide comment.

"Ugh she wouldn't stop" I smiled

I left to shower when I returned both Tristan and Gideon had joined her in my bedroom. We had a few last minute things to go over before dawn. This was as good a place as any. Pam rubbing her back must be extremely relaxing. I would have to remember that because Sookie was sleeping like the dead even though I could clearly see that our children weren't. I thought it to be an incredible thing. When one of them kicked particularly hard I could clearly see it. Sookie thought with the intensity of the kicks one or both were boys. I would be happy with them no matter their sex because I knew any child born of us would be extraordinary.

"Our people could not beat the sun here. They will be arriving by first dark" Tristan said. I nodded. "I will nest with them"

"Not necessary Tris I keep telling you that" Gideon was seated at the foot of the bed with his legs folded under him. "There is more than enough room in the house"

Pam rolled her eyes already bored with the topic. "He wants to watch Isaiah" She said to get us to move on to more important things. I didn't know that was his concern. I merely thought he wasn't at ease with this complex swimming with different vampires from other states. He knew Pam would be safe with us in the main house. I assumed that left him free to keep an extra tight hold on the vampires from his state and keep everyone in line. Tristan's face soured but he didn't answer.

"I have said there is no need. Isaiah is an idiot and this is beyond him" I agreed. Isaiah was a better survivalist and scavenger than a conqueror. He had the foresight to pay for extra protection during Rhodes because he knew he would have no hope for staving off a takeover if he was wounded. While he paid for extra protection he did not have the fortitude to plan a takeover even though the injuries amongst the royals of Amun tipped the scales of power in his favor at the time.

"It's what he wants you to think" Tristan retorted tartly. I knew they have had this dispute many times. Pam's blasé attitude on her husband disturbed him. Then again if it didn't he would not be a good guard for his mistress.

Pam and I were there when Curtis was killed. The reason we couldn't identify the assailants was because they were not vampires at least not all of them. "It is not him" I said. "Eliza" I told them about the conversation I had with Bubba I also explained to them the involvement of the fairies. That knowledge was to remain within our circle for now. I was not sure if it would hurt or help me in gaining help from other monarchs.

"Fuck. A. Zombie" was all Pam said. Tristan was speechless but he did have to admit that Isaiah's movements were all but accounted for and he couldn't orchestrate such a thing. Elves were particularly vicious and no one saw Isaiah getting close to them. He relented to remaining in the house with us. At some point during the conversation Sookie tossed and turned. It was amusing that an ordinary human would have been stricken with terror to find four vampires around their bed while they slept. Her eyes opened slightly. She looked at all of us with a small groggy smile and went back to sleep.

"You can have my room" Gideon offered. Not all the guest rooms were yet habitable for a vampire. It was an attempt to be hospitable because he admired Tristan for many things; mainly it was his tolerance of Pam. Unfortunately, like almost everything else he said his offer offended her. She snorted delicately.

"Runt, you get to choose last with both of us in the house"

Gideon was used to being outranked only by me when it came to vampires in this state but Pam was right. He looked to me begging an ally. There was nothing I could do. We were all kin and so normal rules of seniority applied but I was sure had it been anyone else Pam would not have invoked that right but she did. She took Gideon's room for no other reason than to irritate him because I knew she hated the decorum. After Gideon declared Pam the worst vampire sibling ever and bared his fangs at her Tristan chose to share the day chamber with him. It was attempt to keep the peace between the two and also to prevent Gideon from ambushing his maker. I stayed with Pam.

"If I desired to return would you welcome me back?"

"It is a bit overdone to come back just to annoy him" She did not reply to my quip and I knew she was serious. "It depends on the reason. I cannot allow any child of mine to cower behind me" There was no need to discuss the financial and political implications in that decision; they were colossal. I needed to know if it was worth it. In a divorce without just cause Isaiah would get her state and everything she owned; it may include the shirt on her back. She would also be stripped of her title. At least that was what would have happened if the case had gone before the Pythoness now it was impossible to know. Our world was falling into a state of uncertainties. In any event the consequences would be grave. I did not suspect that troubled her in the least.

"I do not know why" again she sounded confused and torn. It was very unlike her and I was ready to have her back to her original self but I knew this was something she had to do on her own.

"When this is over we will decide" She nodded and there were no more time left in the night. Dawn pulled us under.

0o0o0o0

The news was on in the living room. Pam and I could hear it clearly as we made our way from Gideon's room. The search for the Pythoness has begun and foul play was suspected-obviously. The AVL was furious because as it stood all signs were pointing towards humans of the two natured varieties. There were clips of the residence where she lived. There was footage of her at several events for our kind. All the footage that was used was of her being led by her hand maidens. It made her look all the more helpless and I knew it would boil the blood of all vampires who saw it.

"She was blind" A vampire was speaking into the microphone of a reporter that had taken to the streets of New York for the reactions of vampires. "She has been her entire life undead included" The human must have had a death wish because he interrupted the vampire and asked a rather idiotic question.

"Vampire blood doesn't cure blindness?" The only response he received was glower that was usually followed by the extension of fangs but vampire managed to continue speaking. "This is cowardice of the vilest class, and a crime against all vampires in this land. He was close to losing control on a major network but he took a long pause before he concluded. "We cannot and will not let this stand. We want justice" I glimpsed fangs at the end of the interview. The man he was speaking to cringed slightly from him. It went on and on for a few minutes. Some vampires made threats if the ancient one had been harmed. Some humans showed compassion that the pythoness was blind and should not be treated "like a regular deader". Others said "Good riddance to bad rubbish"

Sookie and I surfed through channels. It was all over the stations, small and large networks all across the nation were covering the story. It was going to quickly become open season on the two natured. There were packs that were volunteering in the search in the hopes that a few of their kind would not damn the entire species. It would not work.

"This is bad" Gideon said. "It's going to take one person to do something stupid" He was right. We had no control over other vampires in other states. The two natured would not sit and be attacked by us. Some vampires relied on them as day time guards. With no day guards some of us would be easier targets. We would serve Sophie-Anne's cause if we could not contain our animosity. In fact she would only have to say the word and they would go to her if it meant their survival. We had to tread softly she had placed us on a precarious perch.

"Who do we have on the west coast?" Tristan asked. I shook my head. I saw where he was going. We could reach out to other leaders and implore them to maintain control over their people or we would all suffer. That was a good thought but we had no contacts there. Plus I could ask such a thing without providing a reason. I had focused my efforts on the kings and queens mainly in my territory minus Eliza. I knew I could save everyone. If I tried I would end up saving no one.

"What about the further east?" Gideon chimed in. Tristan shook his head with a bleak look on his face. There were kingdoms that I felt were strong enough; the California's for one. It was divided into thirds; Sacramento, Los Angeles and San Antonio. They have all been in power for many years. They were powerful in their own right to attack them all together was suicide. New York was another kingdom that was divided and could stand up on its own. I also had a feeling Sophie-Anne was going to focus her wrath on the south.

While we sat and waited for Stan to prepare to meet with us we discussed possible strategies. Sookie looked tired and a bit paler than she should. She was not due to see Ludwig until tomorrow night. As our children grew so did their demands on her body as the Doctor had said they were not entirely compatible with her body and they were stronger. With every passing day walking and standing for periods of time was becoming more trying.

"Have you had a blood?" She nodded but I thought she needed another. Pam got one from the freezer and passed it to her.

"I have a new found respect for you all. This stuff taste like shit" We nodded. Initially it was a struggle after going so long with drinking fresh from the tap. Over time it got easier but you never really goy used to the taste. Sookie made faces as she drank and we laughed.

The call came and we got dressed to meet with Stan.

"I need to talk to you" Sookie said before I left. Pam and Tristan went ahead. Gideon took a seat and waited for the fight that he was sure was coming. He wasn't that far off but I was not going to argue even though I was upset at what she did during the day. This woman in her infinite stubbornness lived to defy me.

"Were you going to tell me that you went to see the fairies during the day" I folded my arms across my chest and sent an unfriendly look in her direction. She had left a note saying she was going to visit with her brother. Naturally I assumed she would go to the fairies without my presence like I had requested. She must not have stayed long because she did not smell that strongly of Dermot or her cousin. I had become familiar enough with their scent to tell them apart from other fairies. I just knew she was with them she always felt different after contact with either of them. I couldn't explain it. There was an undercurrent of something else to her every emotion. She called it "warm and fuzzy".

"I wanted to check on them and thank them for coming to help you last night" I nodded that was understandable but heaven forbid she call or send them a card as she always did with me. "Anyway, I was wondering if they could come live here while all this gets sorted out" She spoke in a rush and her words ran together. I understood her but I was certain I was mistaken. Gideon did a double take and I could see he was fighting to control his expression. My face remained empty.

"I thought you cared for them" Coming here would be safe but it would be a death sentence and the worse distraction while we tried to hunt down a threat.

"I do. That's why I want them to come here. They can earn their keep by keeping watch during the day. Iain has a very powerful ward that he uses. It would make us all safer during the day" That was tempting especially with the development of the evening. Vampires and weres would soon be on the brink of open war. We would need it. "Vampires can watch out for them during the night because it takes too much out of him to keep it up round the clock. While keeping his pathways open" She had to explain the meaning of that to me.

Next to me I could see that Gideon was contemplating the prospect. Sookie saw this and began to capitalize on it "Reinforcements are coming and he can call to them and they can call to him" With that she got her way. Vampires could take care of the vampire on the loose as well as her accomplices. The fairies could focus on the elves. Magically elves posed a higher threat to vampires than they did a fairy, even witches stood very little chance against them. This would lower our casualties.

"Very well you will oversee it. I will send Indira to the house and David is on his way"

"Why?"

"I need to clear out the houses across the lake" She was surprised. In terms of finances we never discussed it. It did not stem from my unwillingness she simply refused. She knew I owned the complex but it was now I saw that she thought it was limited to the houses on this side alone. I tried not to smile. "Try to see if you can come up with a means to do this for me please"

"Okay" I kissed her good bye.

Heidi was in front of the business house she had several clear plastic bags in her hands. After sending Indira to Sookie we entered the dining room where Stan and his people were assembled. To make them comfortable none of us brought anyone except our seconds. At the opposite side of the table Stan had the same faces from last night directly behind him. I could read it on their faces the news of the ancient one was putting them all on edge.

"I thank you for your patience" I gave him a deep nod of my head that he returned. It surprised me that his telepath was in his grouping. I assumed he kept him involved in all that was happening so he could better do his job but his presence here was useless.

"I am curious Eric where is your wife?" No one had to tell me his telepath had been searching for her.

"She is indisposed"

"_**Hey Eric do you know Barry is here?" **_Sookie's mental voice was curious and excited. I looked directly at Barry. _**"Stop you are scaring him" **_She chided.

"You two may as well include us in your conversation" I said. Stan was confused until Barry began speaking.

"Ah…Sookie says hello and welcome. She is sorry she can't come out to greet you properly and she hopes you will forgive her" He waited quietly for Stan's response.

"All is forgiven as soon as the reason for my urgent trip is explained" Barry who I assumed was getting the story from Sookie became to tremble all over. His mouth was hanging slightly open as if he was going to vomit or scream but neither happened. John had to shake him in order for him to thaw.

"Shit" Barry said in a tiny voice. I waved Heidi forward and slowly she made her way towards Stan's side of the table. She stopped half way and John met her. Then she handed him one of plastic bags she had. It held several leaves and branches that had been stained in blood. John took them from her and brought it back to Stan. The instant the bag was opened a faint aroma of Sophie-Anne filled the room. John dropped the bag and hissed with fangs exposed. It was a bit of an over exaggeration if you asked me. It sent Heidi retreating to a safer distance.

"What is the meaning of this?" He asked.

"She still lives. Yesterday she murdered the Ancient Pythoness" My explanation held most of the pertinent information. It left Stan and his people without a single thing to say. As my dear wife would put it "they were catching flies"

"You lie" Stan whispered. I pointed to the bag in front of him. He has known Sophie-Anne for many centuries. Her scent was familiar to him. He was attempting to deny what his senses were telling him. A full minute of silence passed until they all went into action.

"Your majesty we have to go" John actually had his hand on Stan's arm. It was a grand display as they were not of the same blood or were they lovers. "We want no parts of this" It was a little too late they would be dished out a share whether they liked it or not of that I had no doubt.

"How do you know this?" Isabel asked. I saw she like John wanted leave but I suppose she wanted to get as much information as she could. I would not begrudge her that.

"I saw it"

"She wants her throne" John said. He wasn't speaking to me but to Stan. I laughed causing him to round on me.

"Do you think I need your help holding onto territory?" I nodded my head at Pam and Isaiah in case they had forgotten. I could see that Stan was torn because he knew between the three of us we were very capable.

"Leave if you will and go with my apologies for wasting your time but let me assure you that Sophie-Anne has taken leave of her senses absolutely and this is not about territory or throne. She is waging war on all vampire king and queen of the new world. She has taken to creating her own army" There was collective hiss of anger and disgust in the room. "You must also know that she has the help of elves" They had not made up their minds but I answered all their questions. I told them of the night Curtis was assassinated. Pam and Isaiah gave them details of the attack the day of their union. Heidi told them what her searches had been yielding in the two natured attacks. In all we said we were completely honest. Though it would have been best for us all, Stan did not have to stay here. All that I said, I said to provide him with as much information so he could better protect himself and his people. They asked for the smallest details and we answered as best we could.

This went on for over an hour during which Farrell and Isabel were typing furiously on their phones. Sookie was moving towards me. I looked to the door awaiting her entry. Who I saw was Betty Joe. She and another of Russell's personal guard opened the door. Russell had his hand lightly on my wife's elbow offering support as they entered the room.

"Sorry to interrupt" she nodded at Stan who was staring at her heavy form. I knew he like almost all royals knew she was with child. It was surprising to see even then.

Sookie then turned to me. "King Russell got your message. I filled him in on the situation. He asks our hospitality for himself and his people as well as his husband who will be arriving…" She looked over her shoulder to Betty Joe who consulted her handheld.

"Before dawn" She answered.

Sookie smiled brilliantly. "Okay then I'll leave you all to it" she gave us all a parting nod of her head in a hurry to leave the room. I flicked my wrist. Gideon appeared at her side to escort her home. She would never cease to amaze me. In a matter of minutes she convinced Russell of the events that were unraveling. I had no idea what she had told him and I did not care. He brought a powerful ally and he had skilled fighters. I stood to greet him graciously. Pam and Isaiah followed suit and so did their second's.

"Of course you are welcome" I said

"Yes Sookie already said I could stay" I could see by his demeanor that Russell hasn't given up on getting an entrance into our alliance. It was why he so easily answered the call and eagerly remained. "By the way thanks for the heads up" He tipped a cap he wasn't wearing as he took a seat. "What did I miss?" We all looked to Stan. It was time for him to make his call.

0o0o0o

Will he stay or will he go?


	26. The Hunt

Chapter dedication for this chapter goes to...**JLD2118** it is my adamant belief that joining a party late is better that never. Welcome and thanks for the review!

**Eric**

**Chapter Twenty-Six**

**The Hunt**

There were several problems I was anticipating because we were gathered in such high numbers. The main one was that we would draw attention from the human task force. Copley had set the wheels in motion but as I feared it would take time. There was no way to disperse them abruptly without calling attention to the motives behind it. The only thing for him to do was have their funding for this assignment pulled. That too would take time.

The second problem was less general and more personal. The presence of the fairies had to be explained. It would be less hap hazardous if Dillon was not one of them. During the last was between the Fae and the undead he was a problem. No vampire wondered out in the rain because of Dillon for if you chanced upon him he would be the last face you saw. The only one more lethal than him was his father. Fortunately vampires could be practical especially where their survival was concerned. It was best to have him with us and not against us although no one trusted any of them. It was fine because no one group of vampires trusted the other. We were all forced into this uneasy alliance.

The third night following the death of the pythoness I had an audience with the pack masters whose presence I had requested. The only ones that risked coming were the wolves of Monroe, Shreveport, and Lafayette. They brought with them the panther leader from Hotshot. It was understandable that they all came with their full pack members who had already shifted. There was a low consistent growl from the mutts; their hackles were on end. There were now six royals here bringing the total number of vampires close to a hundred. The bodies were evenly divided amongst each king and queen.

The pack masters regarded all the royals with hostility and distrust.

"Alcide" I said unable to mask my distaste.

"Eric, what's up?" He shifted from one foot to another in an effort to control his urge to shift.

"I know who is behind the troubles of both your kind and mine" This got his immediate attention and even those in their animal form stopped their noise to pay close attention. Heidi came forward with a bag that held the blood of Sophie-Anne. Alcide took it and opened it. He winced but shook his head. I knew it was would not be familiar to him. He passed it around and I knew none of them were familiar with it.

"We will begin the hunt. I assume you want in?" He nodded grimly. He still wanted vengeance for his lost enforcer. The other pack masters also nodded.

"Very good. Follow me"

It was rather crowded as all heads of state some of their people and the pack masters gathered for the debriefing.

"My child will lead the meeting" I nodded to Gideon who moved from behind my seat and towards a wall where he had pinned a map and a black board.

"Why?" John asked clearly offended. I knew he was skilled to have been able to hold onto Texas in the absence of Stan but Gideon was trained in modern warfare. Most of us were outdated myself included "He is an infant" He said. As much as I would love to put him in his place it was not for me to do. In these numbers we all had to mind our decorum. Gideon remained impassive to the insult with effort. I looked to Stan. He raised his hand. John mumbled an apology and silenced himself.

Gideon continued. "She is wounded" He ran strategic scenarios and solutions with all the vampires who had been selected on the hunt earlier in the night. This was their final information session.

"How badly?" One of Bertrand's asked.

"Severely but not fatally I hit her with a silver tipped dagger" He was trying not sound smug but he was brimming with pride. It was well deserved. We all knew Sophie-Anne was old and for that to happen especially at the hands of some as young him it was rather impressive. "That was exactly three days ago" Gideon insisted on a chalk board for his demonstrations. I felt it helped everyone visualize their objective; the weres especially. Pam scowled at the idea and said she hasn't lived a hundred and fifty years for a runt to make her sit in a classroom. "Her last sighting was here" He circled the point on a map where we had been attacked.

This is where we were able to reap the benefits of coming together. If one of us were to undertake this endeavor alone we would be stretched dangerously thin. There wouldn't be enough bodies to protect our borders and we would have been left very vulnerable for an attack. It was the opposite here. There were more than enough bodies combined to keep us safe and perform an extensive search.

We built search parties. Each royal provided six of our best and most suitable to be divided into teams of four. Each team had a person that shared blood with someone on another team. It served as a means to call for help or signal danger at an instant. Gideon explained all this during the meeting.

"Team leaders are as follows: Betty Joe leads team Beta code name Belles" She smiled and nodded her introduction to the room. Yes, it was most unwise to allow leaders to choose their code names. "Jackson leads team Delta; code name Dock" He was the finest on distance missions Bertrand had bragged. He nodded to the room. "Team Sigma is led by Thalia code name Sparrow" She did not nod to introduce herself. Her scowl merely deepened in acknowledgement as her name was mentioned. The only reason she was going was because she hated the crowd that was growing. I could not fault her. She was nesting with Alana, Edgar (and Bubba sometimes by association). She was going to take her chances on the road. "Team Omega is led by Nicolas; code name Orioles" Nicolas was a new comer to Pam's state that she said showed very much potential. He was rising quickly and he was very eager to prove himself.

Each state wanted to keep their people together on the same teams but it would be to our detriment. Some vampires like Russell's Ron could provide healing but in a fight he was almost useless. So he was paired with a stronger team in order to treat the best fighters if the need arose. We found our balance that way. Each team leader held the life of members from other states in their hand but they would have to hunt and fight as one. All that were here were forced into an uneasy truce. It was something that these lands had never seen. It was too early to say but if we survived this it may usher in a new era of peace-unlikely.

They would all be leaving at separate times. They were provided with clean phones and specific times to check in to report their progress of lack thereof. There were safe houses along their route stocked with supplies for both species. No one but the team leader knew what direction any other teams were heading.

Gideon had not finished with his briefing and the room was already beginning to whirr with excitement. The only thing more thrilling than a fight was chasing prey. This was true for both species that were present.

"Your target is smart and resourceful and she knows these lands. Never stop assuming she has the upper hand because we don't know she doesn't. Do not" He stressed those words "under any circumstances travel into these states" He circled Alabama and Tennessee in red chalk. "If your trail leads there call base and wait for reinforcement"

"Why?" Alcide asked.

"It is rumored to be hostile to both our kind"

"I don't understand. If she knows that then that's probably where she'll be why not skip this and go straight there" Two natured were very short sighted I suppose it was the result of having only one life time; they only seemed to think one move at a time. We had discussed that point a dozen times and this was the best we could come up with. I believed Bubba but we had no proof. It was our hope that our search would indeed lead us in that direction. It would give us the causation we needed. In that event we would gather the forces needed. There would be no measure to how hard and how fast we would bring the fight to Eliza's door step.

"Would you rather fight me in my house or yours" Gideon asked calmly. As I looked around I could see that Gideon was earning respect with every word he uttered. Alcide did not answer which was answer enough. "Second if we are wrong and we kick in her front door we will meet vehement opposition. We need to be sure. We need just cause" it was a little more complex than that but Alcide nodded reluctantly.

The weres divided their teams in accordance with our own. Alcide attached himself to team Sigma which was led by Thalia mainly because no one else would. The youngsters of each pack were going to be left behind. The leader of the panthers who had seen too many winters would not be going on the hunt. The distance was too great. He did assign his number to run with Alcide and obey him. The weres also had to mix their packs to accommodate the job.

"Any questions" Gideon asked turning to the room.

"Yes" We looked towards the voice but couldn't see the person it belonged to. "Back here" The were raised his hand and waved. I have seen him before he belonged to Alcide. He was a tiny man child with almost his weight in piercings.

"Shoot" Gideon said.

"Why aren't you coming?" Gideon looked to me. I knew he wanted to partake in the actual hunt. He had done the bulk of the planning and had done almost all the research; as to what routes to take during what time of night. He had us tapped into several police scanners in several states. He showed all the teams how to pack and what to bring to sustain themselves but wouldn't slow them down. I was proud of him. This would have been a good reward. I felt like I was wronging him but his place was here.

"The lad has a good point Eric" Bertrand said. Russell and Stan nodded. I pretended to think about it out of respect for them but ended up shaking my head.

I could feel he was disappointed but it did not show. "I am your contact on base. My place is here" Gideon said repeating the words I had said to him earlier that night, very soon after they left.

There was nothing to do on the matter but wait for word to come from our scouts so I went home to be with Sookie. The last few days had been nothing short of chaotic with the influx of vampires. It was so much so I forgot about my wife's appointment with Doctor Ludwig.

"Why didn't you call me?" she shrugged her shoulders and patted the space on the space next to her. I sat with her back against my chest and my arms around her and our children.

"You were busy" She said. I could feel she was not angry or disappointed but I was.

"I should have been here. I am sorry" I kissed her head. She turned and smiled at me. I kissed her lips. "I am all yours for the night. What would you like to do? We can do anything your heart desires"

"Absolutely nothing" So that was what we did. I lay with her and we watched episodes of "Buffy the vampire slayer" It was absolutely hilarious to me. Buffy would get killed by a real vampire six times before she did one of her trademark spin kicks.

"I want to go for a swim" Sookie said suddenly.

"Any chance of that being a nude excursion"

"Ugh. I don't even want to see me naked" I kissed her as I helped her to her feet.

"You are beautiful"

It was peaceful. She floated lazily in the pool and I waded through the water at her side. She was not a strong swimmer. I was grateful that I was able to keep all that threatened our world far away from her. We did not discuss the meeting I had attended. Neither did we discuss any potential solutions for the houses across the lake. There were no talks of fairies or weres or the hunt that had begun. Our troubles would keep for tomorrow. At the moment it was just us in our own world. We were happy.

The atmosphere in the complex however was tense. The royals were busy remotely controlling their kingdoms. It was difficult. The first phone call had come a week after the search party had set out. Thalia's squad was following a trail of elves they found in Baton Rouge. After converging with the fairies that trail was presumed to be old and would most likely lead to Monroe. Betty Joe had the best luck mainly because Heidi was with her. They had trailed Sophie-Anne half way to Montana. The weres were to find them safe passage during the day as not to attract the attentions of the vampires of that state but also not to lose time while they rested.

In the second week the other two teams were coming up empty. They were advised to merge with the two others. Nicolas was to absolve Thalia's team and Jackson was to absolve Betty Joe's team. Everyday that passed Sophie-Anne was getting stronger we widened our scope. The other team that did not have a trail was given the list of previous residences and safe houses I gathered. It was a slim chance but we hoped luck was with us.

We all returned to our waiting during which time the houses across the lake emptied the solution; asbestos. Apparently it was a substance that was hazardous to humans and made any home that contained that substance inhabitable. Officially those homes had been condemned by the state. It was perfect.

Pam was with her people most nights and Gideon was busy in the main house. When they were together they were constantly at each other. The level of aggression was crowning. There were only a few hours before dawn when they arrived. They found Sookie and I sprawled on towels beside the pool. The late night swim became our way to relax. I had been tuning out their emotions but I could see on their faces that there had been some dispute.

"Goddammit Pam! What the fuck is your problem?" Gideon growled.

"I have no problem runt" Pam retorted coolly. Gideon extended his fangs and slipped into a crouch.

"I have had it. You dumb broad. Call me "runt" one more time" Pam did not change her stance or show fang. She remained ostensibly unaffected by his hostile posturing. Gideon didn't know Pam well enough to see her tells but I did.

"Up you go lover" I lifted Sookie up and brought her into the house. These two were going to have it out. Their animosity could no longer be contained in the house they were now forced to share. From the glass doors of the dining room I watched the confrontation with Sookie tucked safely under my arm.

"Eric do something they're going to fight" She pointed to where they were squaring off. Her prediction came seconds before the first punch was thrown (It came from Gideon). Pam answered in kind. She leapt on him and pinned his arms to the ground with her knees. She was pummeling him with her tiny but very effective fists while calling him a "Runt" repeatedly. I could tell he was tampering with her sight but it did him no good because Pam knew what he could do and she was prepared. He gave up on that tactic and decided to use force. I watched as he lifted both his legs and crossed them around Pam's neck and used the hold to flip her off him. Pam was smart. She refused to break contact with his body otherwise she would be easy pickings. Unfortunately this cost her her advantage in the air.

Tristan came in to join us while those two sorted out their problems.

"It is long overdue" He said. I nodded.

"Do something" Sookie said alarmed by our calm. She could clearly hear both their snarls and growls. I rubbed her arm.

"It will be for the worse trust me. Those two need to fight or fuck otherwise they may actually end each other" Tristan said.

"They will be much easier to live with once they get this out of their system" I reassured her. At the moment Gideon had Pam in a submission hold so multifarious her limbs were barely visible.

"But you're sure Pam won't make him finally dead now?" I nodded. She fell silent. She did not like violence and she cared for them both but they were making it impossible for anyone else to have peace. They fought over everything some things they didn't even have use for; like the can opener. It was to the point where when they were both in a room others left. They no longer referred to each other by name either. It was "Psycho Alice" or "Oliver Twist" It went on and on. The list was quite extensive.

Gideon was in his early years and they are monumental to any immortal. It was what makes the bond between a maker and his child so strong. Pam's presence and her constant berating was an intrusion. He was earning respect but Pam was attributing it all to his ability (which was still a well-kept secret) and his place at my side; one which she had worked to make a position worthy of fear. It was biased for her to say so but I could not comment I had to maintain neutrality above all else in their feud. This is why having another child around was never done under normal circumstances. Sophie-Anne was able to do this because she was gifted with being able to hold people to her. I was not and so my children were handling this the way normal vampires did. They would beat each other senseless then they would share blood and that would be the end; though they may have to repeat the process in a few decades.

The match continued for several minutes and several other vampires came to see what the commotion was. Some had their fangs out and were watching with hungry eyes. No one would mistake this as a division amongst our ranks. Vampires from Pam's kingdom watched in admiration as their queen fought; even Isaiah was gaining new respect for his wife but no one joined in; this was a family affair.

More time passed and their punches lost its potency. The end of the fight came when Gideon head butted Pam. The collision sent him sailing a few feet in the opposite direction but it wasn't enough to break Pam's hold of him. So they both went flying and collided with a stone column. The vampires watching erupted in applauses and loud cheers. They had both fought very well.

It took a few minutes but Pam stood and helped Gideon to his feet. She had her hand around his waist. He had his hand around her shoulders.

Sookie shook her head with a disbelieving smile and muttered "Vampire weirdness" She turned and went into the kitchen. Before I turned and followed after her I thought I caught sight of Dermot but before I could make sure he vanished.

The easier atmosphere in the house seemed to spread to all the vampires here. On any given night vampires from different states could be seen mingling. We were as comfortable as we were ever going to be here. I think we all had confidence in our course of action. That is until we had a visit from the head of AVL herself. Like I anticipated our numbers had drawn attention.

"Nan, to what do I owe the honor?"

"Stop it Eric. I'm busy. What gives?" She was in the business house accompanied by a troop of her vampire police. It was all very overdone. "Do you have any idea how much trouble your vampire summer camp is causing in Washington? I have had government officials up my ass with microscopes"

"I hope they bought you a drink first" Gideon muttered. Pam snickered. I fought a smile. Nan glared thoroughly un-amused.

"No summer camp. I am visiting with my closest friends" I gestured to all the kings and queen.

"Uh-huh and this has nothing to do with the Pythoness?" I shook my head.

"That is very tragic for us all" A few days after the search for the ancient one began it yielded the ashes of her most personal aide. She was presumed to be no more. The nation was on high alert for vampires out for revenge. Terror alert was blue to indicate 'Guarded'. The government had instituted a vampire alert system it was yellow to indicate 'Elevated' It was an underestimation by my estimations. "We have gathered to celebrate a baby shower for my dear wife" I lied with perfect serenity.

"She needs all of you to help her shower?" She was as confused as she was angry. I shook my head and let Pam explain. This had been her proposed solution. She even had an invitation on hand for her.

"Ah yes…I have heard of this" Nan said turning over the invitation in her hands. "But it doesn't explain why they are all here now, and they have been here for almost a month" I looked to the royals to explain.

"I'm on vacation" Stan said loosening his ever present black tie and removing his glasses.

"My house is being renovated" That was Russell

"I am here to fulfill the agreements of our marriage contract" Bertrand said taking Russell's hand.

"I have had a bout with Sino-Aids and I only feel safe here while I heal" Isaiah.

"Eric is my maker and he has called me to serve him" Pam concluded.

Nan glared at all our calm and benign expression and waved her guards out. She turned off her recorder.

"Off the record" I nodded. "How bad is it?" She asked

"On a scale of one to ten" Pam said thoughtfully. Nan nodded.

"Three hundred and fifty eight" Bertrand supplied. She froze.

"Like end of our world stuff" Isaiah added. Nan was so out of touch with vampire politics. Her job was to make sure the main streamers were well represented in the human world. It now dawned on her that it absolutely had to be a threat greater than one or more of us to bring us together like this. Quite honestly we were all capable of killing both humans and weres on our own.

"What can I do to help?"

"Say you have lead on the case; keep them busy and their eyes focused elsewhere" I said. She stood and left.

I was grateful that Nan came when she did because the next day Nevada, Oregon, and Washington fell. I woke to a television station covering the news but I did not stay to watch. I had to meet with the other royals.

"Their coffins were left open in very public places all throughout their states. No one with any ranking remains and everyone else is evacuating" Stan said in a somber voice. I was left reeling as to the kind of power such a thing would require. That territory was not weak; those kingdoms were not weak. "The fellowship is claiming responsibility. They have video tapes. The other kings and queens won't even know what hit them"

Silence fell. We were too late. She had healed and her plans had begun to come into fruition. It could be the fellowship truthfully we hoped it was them. There was no way the assassination though. It was too précises and had no human casualties. It also took care of three out of four kingdoms in the Narayana territories. California was the last on remaining state.

Gideon's phone rang. It was the one he has specifically for those who were away.

"This is Belles and Dock we saw her. She is entering the California as we speak. We are following" Gideon had put the call on speaker. I looked at the others to make their call. Their people as well as mine may pay with their lives if we did not decide well. The other team was far away. If they followed her they risked being seen that knowledge put us all in agreement.

"Do not engage" Gideon said. We heard what sounded like an explosion that set a silence more profound than death on all of us.

"Shit" There was a lot of noise and wind whirling in the background on their end. We listened intently. "What the fuck was that?" I thought that was Betty Joe.

"Dock" Gideon called.

"Pull them back" Stan ordered. I agreed. Whatever information they had about numbers and fighting force would be of more value than their fighting force at the moment.

"Get out of there and into the next state. Get to an airport I'll get you in the air" Gideon ordered.

"We can aid the vampire here. She is in our line of sight" He argued.

"Dock pull back right now that's a direct order from all heads of state"

"On our way" The line went dead.

"What about the others?" Isaiah asked. Their next check point was over a week away even if they traveled all night.

"I think they should return" We all nodded in agreement to that. The situation had changed drastically. Instead of hunting a wounded vampire that was protected by elves we were now after someone that was able to wreak this magnitude of devastation. Gideon left to prepare the arrangements to bring the scouts home.

0o0o0o

0o0o0o

o0o0o0

I know you guys are very eager for a few things to happen and take my word for it...it's a coming!

Hey JLD1218...Totally being nosy but I;m mighty curious in the origins of your screen name! care to share? If not I will go stick my nose in someone else's business.. :D


	27. Shrinking Walls

**Eric**

**Chapter Twenty-Seven**

**Shrinking Walls **

California fell. All three kingdoms within it, they fell one after the other. I watched in utter confusion as the stories hit the news stations. The homes of all the royals were set ablaze. Their human pets and employees were not harmed. Some had been kept by force. That knowledge it did not serve to gain sympathy for any vampire that had been ended that night. Again the fellowship was claiming responsibility. AVL was screaming "Hate crimes" because no human bodies had been found in any of the blazes we vampires knew the human law wouldn't look into it. It was well because we knew who was behind it and it was no religious fanatic.

In silence we watched the story unfold in the business house. We couldn't believe what our eyes were telling us was very real. Bertrand and Russell looked beyond distraught.

"We should warn the other states" Stan said. Of all the states here he was the only one that was not part of the territories of Amun. I could see his wanting to prevent the same devastation from befalling states in his territory.

"Be happy that you are here" Isaiah said through his own desolation. He was right. The only reason Stan was here was because there was a history of good faith between us but Isaiah's comment had been uncalled for. Both Pam and I glared at him.

Surprisingly this was the first disagreement we were having amongst ourselves and I would hate for Stan to feel axed by us. I would not insult him by putting this to a vote. No one here would risk our safety to warn others especially against a danger that could swat down kingdoms like flies and ultimately it was my house and I had the final say on who stayed.

I began gently. "Stan" He shook his head to interrupt my preamble.

"It doesn't have to be everyone. I know we cannot save everyone but on their way home the other scouting party will cross several states in my territory. They only have to send a warning to those along their route nothing more" That was not unreasonable. It was not as if he was asking sanctuary for them all. I looked to the others. Russell shrugged. Bertrand nodded. Pam nodded as did Isaiah. Stan was clearly relieved.

"We need to meet with the fairies" Russell said. I had been staving off that encounter for obvious reasons. Any pertinent information was passed from them to Sookie then onto me and vice versa. There was no longer any way around it. Our safety during the day had to absolutely certain. The remaining pack members that did not partake in the hunt patrolled outside the boundaries of the fairy's ward during the day. While I was thinking of what to do I felt pain coming from Sookie. I was by her side without even making the conscious decision to move.

"What is it? What's wrong" I moved to put my arm around her but she waved me away. Her teeth were clenched and her knuckles were turning white from the force she was using to grip the edge of the counter top. She bent forward and cried out a little. I was calling Doctor Ludwig but I had no idea what to tell her.

"Has she been hurt" Ludwig asked.

"No, I don't know what is causing her pain"

"Is she bleeding?"

"No, I can't smell any blood. She is in pain" I growled at her in frustration. I felt helpless and very useless.

"Get her off her feet and keep her calm. I'm on my way" I hung up.

"Lover" I was brushing her hair from her face trying to soothe her. "I need to move you" she nodded.

On our bed she curled in on herself and wrapped her hands around her stomach. I wrapped my body around hers trying to flood her with comfort and calm. After a minute the pain subsided and she began breathing normally.

"What happened?" I asked.

"I think I had a contraction" I could feel she was anxious but she was trying to hide it. We both knew it was much too early for her to give birth.

"It's a good sign that I haven't had another one" Her eyes were on the watch in her wrist. She sounded more hopeful than confident. I did not respond.

Pam appeared in the door way.

"What" I barked. She was unfazed.

"You need to call off your pal's" I was confused until I looked outside the window to find the house was surrounded. The room must have emptied when I left. There were several circles around the house. The vampires of my state formed the outer two. They were followed by those of Pam's state, then Isaiah's, Russell's, Stan's and Bertrand's. The Royals were on my door step facing the house. They were all ready to fight.

I turned to Sookie "I need to go" I felt her anxiety flare but she nodded with a calm expression. She like me has been trying to be strong. Despite how much she needed and wanted me around she never let it show. There have been quite a few nights when I saw her for a few minutes after I rose. Then I would leave and didn't return until close to dawn when she was already asleep.

I held her to me and her tears began to flow. "I know" Her fear was growing and my absence no matter how short a time was robbing her of much needed strength. "Close your eyes" She hesitated but complied. I kissed her tears away. "Count to ten. I will be right here when you open them again" She nodded. Pam remained with her.

I moved with at full speeds to the front door. "Forgive my hasty departure. There is no danger. My wife is having some difficulties" They all waved their hands and their people began to disperse. "Thank you" The words escaped my lips before I had given it complete consideration. It was as much a surprise to them as it was to me. Sophie-Anne was indeed shaking the foundation of the vampire world but not in the way she intended.

I made it back upstairs with two seconds to spare. Sookie opened her eyes slowly almost hesitantly giving me a few more seconds in case I needed them.

"Boo" She laughed. Pam was already on the bed with her. I took a seat on the side with my back against the head board.

"Pam you are making a habit of being in my bed with my wife" she snorted.

"There is barely enough room" She let her leg dangle off the edge for effect. Sookie swatted at her with a pillow but she was smiling. It made me voice a point of great curiosity and minor annoyance.

"Gideon says I am not to mention your size but why is Pam able to?"

"It's different. I don't have sex with her, plus she's a girl" How odd. Pam shrugged her shoulders apparently this logic made no sense to her as well.

"So if you did have sex with her then she would no longer be allowed?" She nodded. Pam offered to test the theory and it got her promptly thrown out of the room. While we waited we talked. Sookie told me something completely shocking.

"I thought about us having a child together the night you drove me to meet Niall" During that time our relationship was still very unsteady and nonexistent apart from the bond. I would have never imagined she would have even wanted me as the one she would share that with.

"I love you" She had left me with nothing else to say. She has wanted me for as long as I have wanted her.

The doctor arrived a half hour after she was called. That was simply not fast enough. I made a note to see what could be done about retaining her.

"Are you in any pain now?"

She asked. Sookie shook her head. "It was sudden but it didn't last too long and that was it"

"Hmm…One of them is here" The doctor said. She had one palm lying flat on the side of Sookie's stomach. There was thirteen inches between one hand and the other. That was how tall that child was "The other one is here" Her hand was directly on the center of my Sookie's abdomen and went to her waist line. That child was a shorter than the first but only by two inches or so. "That's the one that's being a trouble maker and sending your body the wrong signals. I have to move him" I wanted to bare my fangs and growl but I was not sure it was warranted so I wrangled the urge.

"It will not harm the child or her" I asked carefully.

"No, but the babe isn't going to like it" She pulled on a pair of gloves which made Sookie anxious.

I sat on the bed facing her and blocking her view of the Doctor. I took her hand. "Don't. Look at me" She nodded and relaxed. As the doctor worked she tried not to flinch but I knew she was feeling a vast amount of discomfort. I stroked her hair and she kept a firm grip on my hand.

When she was finished I saw Doctor Ludwig to the door. "Give her your blood" She instructed "And no more than three hours of physical activity daily" I nodded.

"What kept you?" I asked. Her small wrinkled face puckered at the tone I used. She was not my employee nor did she treat vampires exclusively. The world of the supernatural all came to her from full goblins that were on this side of the realm to mixed humans like Sookie and everything in between. Despite what I knew I needed her here and I told her as much. I offered to pay whatever she desired to remain here until my children were born.

"I know you know what is going on. As eager as I am to be working with your wife I am a healer" Her eyes circled the premises where many vampires were moving through the night. "The kingdoms that have fallen all had day guards. That was where I have been" Now that I looked closer at her I saw she was exhausted. "It is not the end is it" There was resignation in her voice. I did not answer. For the first time since I have known her. She looked sad by all that she was witnessing. Her frail shoulders were hunched in what appeared to be defeat.

I returned to Sookie despite the crisis and pressing matters I had to attend to. She was the most important thing to me. Gideon, Pam and Tristan could continue in my stead. They would be enough to keep Isaiah from being overly daft.

"I'm okay now" Sookie said. "I know you're busy" My only response was climbing into the bed "I wish I could be with you when you left" For everything I did not say it provided her with all she needed to know.

Our tactics were going to change. We would now have to meet Sophie-Anne on a battle field of our choosing. We had less chance of controlling the situation if she came here. Our assault would begin with Eliza. Even if she did not know the grand plan of her consort she had to die. The dangers she herself posed on a battlefield was too much. A preemptive attack on her was an absolute necessity.

"You have to come back" Her voice trembled. I wanted to assure her that I would but there was uncertainty at every turn. She took my hand and placed it on her stomach. I could feel our children move within her. We lay together for a long time in silence. Her weeping was too was silent.

"I am afraid" I said to her. I had been trying to endyre. It had been nights of planning and strategizing. I had not allowed myself to acknowledge anything that was materializing in me. The truth was I felt like I had the weight of the world on my shoulders without really accepting the responsibility. I felt like I was suffocating because I could not relinquish it. My inner strength was waning. "I am confused" I confessed. "In the deepest depths of my heart there are things I feel that I should not" The words were spilling much too quickly for me to edit them but they had been festering for too long. "Her madness was born of grief and loss of those she loved most that has been our norm but in her world it would not be so. Our children would be safer if there is nothing for vampires to fight over" She turned to look into my eyes. I did not know what she sought or what she saw. I closed them to escape her gaze. "She is right…the world we vampires have created is wrong" I felt shame for seeing truth in my enemies words but as I remitted the thoughts from my body it was like a soothing attar where they had once been. "I am not sure of anything anymore" I looked up and found her eyes still boring down on me. "I have to be" She cupped my face. I leaned into her touch and let her comfort me.

The next night the first scouting team arrived. They all received a gracious welcome. When that was done we sat down with Betty Joe and Jackson they had been the two team leaders. Heidi attended as well because she was an excellent tracker.

"We rested in a bunker in Nevada. When we rose the weres told us what happened. The trail of elves was fresh and we followed it to the borders of Sacramento" Betty Joe had been speaking but this part she left for Jackson.

"They didn't stand a chance" He said solemnly. "I think we only saw the assault team Sophie-Anne herself was part of. Even so they outnumbered them four to one. From the way the kingdoms fell the attacks were coordinated to be simultaneous"

"Tell us about the explosion" Stan said.

"We hid downwind; almost in the water. Sophie-Anne had an elf at her right hand" His voice turned to a mixture of apprehension and appreciation when he spoke of the elf. I knew this elf was a problem. We were all leaning forward in our seats. "He…he threw fire"

"Come again" Bertrand said clearly thinking he misheard. Everyone but Pam, Tristan and I maintained our calm. We had seen this before. Atéyo was an elemental. It was to be expected given his age but an enemy with the ability was most unnerving.

"They marched with a single torch. It was small perhaps the size of a flash light. I thought it was to make them appear human but then the explosion sounded and we hung around a second longer to see as the elf cut a piece of the flames in his hands. He spoke into it and it grew, then he hurled it."

When the shock of that wore off we asked them for any and all the information they had to offer. In the end we decided we needed to do two things meet with the fairies and end Eliza. Some of her numbers had been identified mixed in with those Sophie-Anne created; and she had created many more.

All the other vampires on the complex had been ordered across the lake to give us some privacy. Even our personal guards were left behind to avoid unnecessary tension. The best solution to speak with the fairies and not kill them was to have us remain outside and for them to remain inside their home.

Dermot was sitting on the porch looking perfectly at ease. Clearly he was unconcerned about the advancing vampires. I could see why. In his lap was an abnormal looking bow with no arrows in sight. The first time I saw that bow I was having one of my closest brushes with death in many centuries. Victor had me captive and only six people came for me. He was one of them and that very bow served to save my life. I knew the amount of damage it could do. I knew once he chose a target the bow would not allow him to miss. I also knew he would take being asked to remain in his house to be a sign of weakness. He was being a dense. From what Sookie said I felt I had a good idea of his personality. He was like her; stubborn; prideful and ill-tempered only he was ill mannered as well. In this situation it was a very counterproductive combination.

"Some welcome" Isaiah said. It earned him a glare from the fairy. It did not avoid his notice that Isaiah was closest to Pam. Like she feared he shadowed her every step. Her only escape was the time she spent in my house.

"Dermot we need to speak with Dillon and Lyra" I said. On cue the two exited the house with Claude and Iain behind them. I bit back a growl their behavior was not going to help the cause. It would only serve to further unnerve the other royals.

Isaiah was making the mistake of pulling in intentional breaths to taste their scent in the air. He twitched forward. The movement was subconscious it was following the current of the wind.

With speed that a vampire would envy Dermot drew his bow and already had two arrows in it. They were already pointed at Isaiah's chest. The thought of fairy blood was forgotten and in an instant the atmosphere went from one of unease to pure aggression. Snarls ripped through the night.

"Please vampire, I beg you" Dermot spat. His tone was one of pure loathing "Give me a fucking reason" His eyes were fixed solely on Isaiah. I knew this had nothing with his misstep or a perceived threat. This was about Pam. Isaiah reached for Pam's hand not knowing he was doing exactly what he was asked. Dermot's hand shook. Pam was too wrapped in what she was feeling to do anything to deescalate the situation. Since we got here her eyes were full of pain and they had been fixed on her former fairy lover.

"Enough" I stood in front of Isaiah. Dermot lowered his bow but did not remove the arrows from them. He was the only one who did as I asked. "Stop this" I called the other vampires. I was fighting against the haze of fairy blood in the air and my anger at the poor display of objective from both groups.

"This is who we are to trust our safety to" Russell hissed. I now found myself in the middle with my hands out.

"Yes" I said. "They entrust us with their safety in the night" Bertrand snarled as if they did not deserve it but he stood down.

"Stan" He was the angriest and I knew he was not going to kill for the fairy blood alone. Our very existence was in jeopardy and this was a threat it was as simple as that. "This will solve nothing. You kill them and you kill the wards that protect us all during the day" His fangs retracted but he did not straighten from his crouch. He was beginning to despair. I could understand that but it was causing him to do act with little reason. I reached and placed my hand on his shoulder. The touch was light not to be mistaken for restraint. By no means did he have to take orders from me. I was making a request upon him that he was free to refuse. "Stop" With a parting glower at Dillon he obeyed.

"Do you know of an elf that controls fire?" Russell asked finally getting to our purpose here.

"Prince Nikko" Dillon said. Disgust was evident in his voice.

"Are there more like him" Stan asked. I was glad he too had gained his perspective. Dillon shook his head. They told us all they knew of Nikko and his limitations. They also informed us of the skill set of the fighters they have encountered thus far.

"The ward will it hold against elfish magic" I asked. Dermot nodded.

"This vampire that aides them" Lyra began "She still eludes you" No one answered her. The question wasn't asked for informative purposes it was to irritate us, she succeeded.

"When do you expect your reinforcement?" Pam fired back.

"No more than three weeks" Iain said. That was at least a scrap of good news. We just had to hope our defense would hold if our enemies arrived before then.

0o0o0o

A week passed and we eagerly awaited the second squad that included; Thalia; Nicolas; Alcide and the pack master of Monroe. The day when they were due they did not arrive. Gideon tried to reach them but he got response and they had made no attempts to contact us. Isabel of Texas had gone on the hunt. She shared blood with Farrell who remained behind he did not feel she was hurt. The same was true for Russell's Ron. They had not been harmed but we had no idea what befell them. There had not been attacks that had been reported on the news.

"Your majesties" I said dropping to my knees as did all the vampires around me. The house of Kováll has appeared on the steps of the business house and they had with them everyone that we had been feared missing.

"Young king Eric, please" He gestured for us to rise.

"Eric" Anthony said. "It is good to see you"

"Like wise but I was not expecting you" He gave me look that I could not quite decipher. It could not be that he had seen my call for help. I had been considering it but I had not yet decided.

"Pardon the intrusion but little Cohan insisted on coming" Cohan spoke as if denying Anthony a journey across the world and commandeering our troops in the process was simply not an option.

"Don't think we know why either" Prince Demetrius mused. "He gets off on being all mysterious. Annoys the shit out of me" Anthony flashed him a bright smile but he appeared uncomfortable.

They entered the house with us. The other royals remained but they were too awe struck to speak though they had all been vying for this opportunity. Cohan and his children even made efforts to include them in the conversation it further added to their amazement.

"Where is your Sookie" princess Eráh asked after we had exchanged pleasantries.

"Home, resting"

"Is she well?" Anthony asked. I knew he enjoyed irritating people with his ability and just never shutting up in general but as he sat amongst his family he had not said anything until now. His question was surprising. There was also a heavy note of anxiety to his voice that I did not understand. If she were harmed he would be the first to know or so I assumed. He had sent me to her the night she wanted to run. Then it occurred to me that his ability has some limitations though I did not know what they were.

Cohan murmured what sounded like reassurances to him and took his hand. "I am certain she well" He looked to me to confirm. I nodded.

"Yes, she is in perfect health and she will be happy to see you" She was always happy to see him and it irritated me. That fact had not changed. I stood and indicated for him to follow me.

"I would stay but your friends aren't much for conversation" Princess Negy said. Gideon snorted in response. It was meant to be low but she heard it. I was sure everyone in the room over six hundred years old heard him.

"Eh…Negy looks like someone's got something to say" Demetrius called out in a jeering tone. I turned to intervene; force Gideon to apologize and or punish him to their satisfaction.

"I promise you. Your child is the only one acting his age" Cohan said absently. He waved for me to ignore them and having no other options that was what I did.

Sookie was lying on her favorite piece of furniture in the house. It was a bright sapphire accent piece. It was soft and was set low to the ground. She could get in and out of it without too much of a struggle. Nights when she wanted to wait for me to return it offered her a comfortable position.

"Lover, we have guests" I called from the door way.

"Come in" She said. She looked towards the archway of the living room. She and Anthony were wearing similar expressions. Both their faces were surprised but happy.

"Ah…much better" Anthony said with his usual carefree smile. I remembered just how much I disliked it. He came and knelt by her head and hugged her. "It has been most distressing only seeing your face" The relief in his voice palpable. "It made me afraid" She patted his back they still hadn't released each other. I tried not to frown but I knew she would smell of him. Anthony was her most powerful and he had come to check on her. It pleased me and made me certain of what to ask of Cohan

"You still can't stand not being a know it all" She teased when he finally released her. He laughed. Cohan smiled at his son's blatant disregard for vampire wife/human ownership.

"It is very good to see you are doing so well little one" He said to Sookie.

"Thank you your majesty" He smiled down at her. Then he ran his hand through Anthony's hair and tried in vain to smooth it.

"I will go unless you want me to stay" He told him.

"No I am fine now"

"You don't need anything do you lover?" She shook her head and smiled at me. It erased the annoyance of Anthony and his overall inability to recognize vampire personal space.

Cohan straightened and together took our leave. The team that had returned still had not informed us of what kept them or how their path intercepted with that of Cohan of all creatures.


	28. One Down

There was no dedication for the last chapter because it was to me. I put that out while I was sick as a dog. I have scored some vampire blood and I'm all better!

Without further ado here is Chapter 28 it goes out to you **ClubEric**. For two reasons one I love your screen name and two I believe you are my 400th review! So this is all yours but um…we'll virtually read over your shoulder :D

Thank you for all the support and words of encouragement. They keep me going!

**Eric**

**Chapter Twenty-Eight**

**One Down**

I was eager to find out how Cohan ended up with our people. It took us close to a half hour to walk less than five blocks but finally we made it to the business house where the others still remained. As we walked vampires bowed to Cohan. He felt the need to acknowledge each and every one of them his presence alone was doing for the atmosphere was nothing short of astounding. He smiled at all who he passed. It evoked everything from jubilation to tears. He seemed to be inspiring them without saying anything particularly profound. I was grateful dread had been hanging in the air as of late.

In the last week we had all feared that the vampires we sent out were being tortured for information and that they would break. None of them carried crucial knowledge but we could not afford the loss of numbers. Times were critical.

Ateyo was gone and so was his child. Erah remained and she was once again in deep conversation with Bill Compton like she had been the first night they met; much to Judith's dismay might I add. Bill had inspired an interest in computers and all things digital in the princess. They used the word "programming" a lot.

Gideon, Negy, Tristan and Demetrius were missing. I looked to Pam she was calm so I was certain there had been no problem. Cohan looked to Erah probably asking the same question.

"Negy needs a lesson in modesty and his child volunteered" Eráh answered the unspoken question and gestured to me before returning to her conversation with Bill. Cohan laughed. Gideon was behaving as overly familiar as they were and I did not approve. I called him to me.

There were no empty seats when we arrived but everyone sitting at the table offered their chair to Cohan in a single synchronized gesture. He smiled and thanked them all. He moved to where his daughter was and took a seat on the floor at her feet. It left the other royals at a loss of what to do they looked at Pam and I. Neither of us knew how to advise them. Ordinarily it would be a sign of disrespect to hold a seat higher than someone of his stature. In the end Isaiah went with what was safest. He moved his chair aside and sat on the floor pulling Pam down with him. The others followed suit. Including me even though I knew Cohan cared nothing of the show.

It could be the proximity forcing an attraction but I was beginning to think Isaiah cared for Pam. He looked at her differently and seemed to want to make her happy. Making her happy meant saying less idiotic things or nothing at all; he was doing both.

Gideon returned followed by Tristan. They looked perplexed by the fact that we were all sitting on the floor. To his credit for once Gideon remained quiet. The fact that he knew I was dissatisfied with him made him more apt to behave. He came and folded down silently by my side. Tristan went to Pam and fit his frame in the small space between her and Isaiah. The only child of Kováll that returned was Demetrius. His eyes were lit with excitement and he was wearing a bright smile. Apparently he had not learned any sort of lesson in modesty.

"Where is your sister?" Cohan asked him as he took a seat on the other side of his sister.

Demetrius laughed and Tristan smiled. Gideon bowed his head hiding a smile. "I won my first match against her" He declared. This meant more to his family than it did to us. They appeared stunned and somewhat skeptical. It was my understanding that Negy was at least nine hundred years older than him. I knew how he managed that victory and I was even more disappointed in my youngest child. He was forgetting himself; what he was and he was forgetting the gravity of the crisis here. "You should have seen her face" Demetrius laughed a hearty laugh.

Determined to be more than a mute this time around Russell joined the conversation.

"You are older are you not?" he asked. Demetrius was all too eager to declare that she was eleven hundred years his senior and has been besting him all his long life. The other royals except Pam offered him congratulations and he basked in it. His father watched with indulgent eyes his sister looked bored with his antics. Pam on the other hand had had enough.

"His majesty is most kind for coming to the aid of our people" She said with a deep nod of her head. Cohan waved her away regally with a smile. I was confused and that was how the debriefing finally began.

"I remembered her face" Cohan said pointing to Thalia. "She has acted in defense my youngest son once before" All the vampires that did not know the exact happenings the night I became king turned and stared at her. She did not scowl or show outward signs of her usual hostility instead she shrank and tried to make her already tiny figure even smaller.

"Thalia, tell us what happened from the last time you made contact" she looked…uncomfortable so much so it took the natural hostile edge out of her voice.

"We were in the last house that was on the list in Minneapolis. It must have been bewitched somehow. Only the weres could enter but they could not be in their wolf forms. We searched feeling like there had to something but we found nothing. We were told to come home that same night" It had been the same night the states of the Narayana territory fell. "So after we fed we began the journey. It wasn't until Iowa that one of the weres told us he suspected we were being followed. As a precaution Nicolas and I separated into the original teams. He ran east hoping to reach Bertrand's kingdom I ran west as a distraction but hoping to find friends of Stan"

"Why didn't you call?" Gideon asked. They were instructed to report anything they found that was amiss. Having a tracker on your tail was definitely reason to call.

"It was a suspicion" Nicolas said. His voice was a lot more concrete than that of my enforcer. It sounded as though he was defending her. "We wanted to make sure but once we had proof we didn't want to risk them tracing our calls. Last contact I had with Thalia was two days ago. We had been maintaining radio silence but whoever was at our heel moved with great speed. I did not think we would make it. I told her to follow the last orders we were given. I destroyed the phone, radios and scanners and told her to do the same" Their last orders was the request from Stan to travel though some of the states in his territory and warn the kings and queens whose paths they crossed. "Doing that gave her a better chance to gain sanctuary and means to contact base and reported what happened" His actions under pressure were very well thought out. I had to admit that if they had called for instructions we would have probably given the same orders. "The next night we woke to chains. While we rested the elves had given us their blood" Elf blood was poisonous to vampires. It made us extremely weak and depending on the quantity of blood and the age of that vampire it could be fatal. "The weres had been tortured for most for most of the day" There was a note of something in his voice as he divulged that bit of information. It wasn't pity but as he spoke his tone was not entirely inflectionless. It held respect. There was no trust when they had all departed on this search. I would have never thought I would see the day when a were would choose torture over giving up a vampire. "None of them broke. They would not even volunteer I was team leader so the elves didn't know who was valuable and who wasn't. That was what kept us all alive."

"They closed in on us this far from Alex's kingdom" Thalia said with a small shake of her head. She pinched her thumb and index finger together to indicate just how close she was from Nebraska. "Vampires attacked us the same night he was attacked. We were outnumbered and did not resist we were bound. They must have already known we would not talk. They transported us. They worked on us during the day. Tonight when I actually came around I was in Tennessee along with Nicolas and all his people. Eliza came and she could only identify Nicolas, Sarah and I from her assault on Pam and Isaiah" She need not say more. I knew they got it worse than anyone else.

"My son has not been able to see much as of late. I think it because there is peril everywhere" Cohan continued his voice was low and a look of sadness was heavy in his eyes. "We were already on our way when he saw her final death" again he pointed to Thalia. "He sent me and so I went" He shrugged his shoulders as if that was all the justification he needed to do anything; a request from a child of his. It was ludicrous but I knew that was exactly the case.

"Eliza and her people are no more" Russell asked. His tone was one of poorly restrained jubilation.

"Not all of them" Nicolas answered. "While they had us I talked to some of the vampires. A few from Eliza's ranks wanted nothing to do with what she was doing. They stayed out of fear and they lived in terror of her" That was not a surprise. Not all vampires were warriors or war mongers. Some wanted to completely mainstream and have a life free of politics that absorbed out world. Others respected the hierarchy and its advancement but wiping out an entire territory was too much violence. Eliza was abetting Sophie-Anne in decimating our numbers there are few vampires that would abide that. This news would work to our favor.

"What did you do with them" I asked.

"They were sent to deliver the warnings throughout the different territories" Nicolas answered. Next to him Pam was nodding her approval. I could see what she saw in him. Injured he was not able to complete his final assignment but found a way to get it done.

"Your youngest" Stan asked cautiously. "What outcome does he see?" They all now knew what Anthony was. They coveted him greatly but they were wise enough to keep the desire suppressed.

"I do not know" Cohan said. "I doubt he sees the end. All pieces have not been set an outcome cannot be predicted by him or anyone at this point"

"I guess everyone is psychic now" Demetrius muttered to his sister. His father laughed and stood as did Erah.

"I thank you for the hospitality" Cohan said to me. He nodded his head to me as did his children. Indira had already taken care of their housing arrangements. The house had been stocked with everything from human food to royal blend bloods. It was located adjacent to that of the fairies and not far from my own.

"It is my honor" I replied.

"I will retire now" He said. Demetrius wanted to remain but when his father extended his hand out to him he took it with very little grace. We had serious matters to discuss. I was grateful he left no doubt he had plans to regale us with many lost battles against his sister. A vampire his age should be less…excited about mediocre things.

We had reclaimed chairs after the kovalls had left. The only people that now remained in the room were the royals and their personal guards. No one spoke each one of us was deep in thought.

They had assumed I would ask Cohan to fight for us I wanted to right that misguided notion. "I will send my wife to France with Cohan" I said. When I spoke they were all wearing the same expression; they looked lost. Ordinarily I would have not told them this because the decision was mine alone to make. While I have made the decision I felt it was fair to inform them of it. I expected outrage and anger but nothing prepared me for my fellow vampires to plead.

"If she is here and Cohan fights with us she will be safe" Stan said. "We all will be" He was missing my point. I wanted the length of the world between Sophie-Anne and my children. It had been my selfishness that had allowed me to keep Sookie here for so long. I had to make her safe and I could not be certain of that if she was here no matter who was fighting on our side.

"Eric please we know you love her" Russell said in a placating tone. "We know what she means to you" For once I felt they did. No one has referred to her as my human or "the telepath" They used her official title.

"He will not separate his family to fight with us, Eric you know this" Stan said. "You are sentencing our people to fight and die needlessly"

"Be reasonable" Bertrand urged. "She will be safe here we will leave behind however many you deem necessary to guard her"

We all looked to the door when someone knocked interrupting the heating discussion.

"Enter" we all said. It was Anthony and he was followed by the eldest of the Koválls: Atéyo. The look Anthony now wore was serious but he no longer looked as anxious as he had earlier tonight. It made me hopeful that he had seen something hopeful or helpful to say. It was neither. He walked into the room and stood in a place where we could see him. His brother found and empty seat and watched with interest.

No one was surprised by his timing or that he was aware of the topic we were debating. "I know what is it you want to ask of my father" He said without preamble. "It would solve your problem but it would be a mistake" I had already made my decision to send Sookie away but I was interested in what he had to say nonetheless. How could something that could solve a problem so colossal be a mistake?

"My father cannot help in the fight that is coming. He only has one setting when it comes to threats" Stan and Russell looked as though that suited them perfectly if it was anything close to the stories we all knew. Anthony was struggling with words. "He is…" His brother explained what he could not.

"Our father is like all fathers. He over reacts" I would challenge his choice of words and say some of the things Cohan had done in the name of his children were a tad more than an overreaction. He has slaughtered masses, decimated armies and dismantled empires when his children had been threatened or harmed. "Any threat to those he loves is met with the same amount of force every time"

Anthony nodded. "Yes"

"The problem is what exactly?" Isaiah asked and for once no one gave him a look implying he should shut up.

"He can help you win but the victory will cost you so much more" Anthony answered calmly. "This fight must yield more than winners and losers" As he spoke his eyes were now on me. "It will define the world you children will live"

His words brought me back to the night Sookie and I wed. I felt something I hadn't in a long time the need to explain myself. It caused me to make an admission that no one but my blood and some fairies knew. "The children my wife carries are mine…biologically. Conceived through magic, they are part vampire. I know the risks it poses to do this without Cohan but it is the choice I am able to bare" I did not take the time to see how my words were received. Anthony continued speaking and it interrupted the many questions I knew were about to arise.

"While this is the enemy I spoke of I was mistaken Eric when I said this was your test. It is not only your burden to bear I see that now. I see each and every one of you with a role to play in shaping this new era" His stare was profound as it meandered over all the other royals present. We were all quite trying to understand his message. "The battle that looms will define all your destinies and so together you are forced to walk a razors edge" He continued; his eyes boring into Stan with intensity that I did not think he could conjure. Stan was attempting to shift his eyes but couldn't he appeared immobilized "Stray but a little and there will be nothing left of vampires in these lands" Anthony walked slowly to Stan and knelt in front of him. "I know you mean no harm and you are acting out of hopelessness but don't do it. You know of what I speak" Tears escaped Stan's eyes he did not move to wipe he was still transfixed in Anthony's gaze. Anthony wiped them for him and took his hand. "Have faith" Stan nodded slowly and more tears fell. "All that you need will come. You will see" Stan hugged him and we were all taken aback. It was impossible to guess what he was planning but Anthony said he meant no harm I would not hold it against him. He also looked as though he was now unswerving in his commitment but I did not believe in faith or hope solving my problems. However I took comfort in the fact that Anthony had not yet led me astray. I have trusted him before and it kept me alive. This time would be no different. I had to believe that.

It was very late into the night when I returned home but Sookie was awake. She had taken a bath. She did this to relax the children when they got over exuberant and kept her awake.

"Hi" she said with a bright smile.

I kissed her. "Hello wife of mine" I took the comb from her and ran it through her wet hair.

"Are you okay?" She asked there was a smile in her voice but she looked concerned.

"Yes"

"It's just that you've been combing my hair for almost ten minutes" I had been focused on the task and got lost in the feel of her body against mine but I also didn't know how to tell her what I needed to say. She would fight me like she always did but I needed her understand. The seconds ticked past and she saw the somewhat peaceful expression on my face become tumultuous. She felt the loss I was trying to bury with my body. It worried her.

"It's okay. There is no need for you to be anxious" I pulled her to lie on the bed and I wrapped my body around hers protectively. "It's okay" I repeated.

"Stop saying that and tell me what's wrong" She said.

"I am sending you to France" Her body tensed and her breath caught. I held her and rubbed soothing circles on her stomach. I knew she was afraid but she was also furious. I spoke quickly because I had a few seconds before she "had a fit" as she often described her outburst. "You know what will happen. I cannot have you here. I won't risk that. It is just a precaution. This is what is best" I said firmly.

"You aren't sending me anywhere. I won't go" Her tone was level and it matched mine with ease. She tried to pull away from me I would not let her.

"I won't be able to focus if I can't be absolutely certain you are safe" She drew in a deep breath.

"Come with me" She said softly. Her tone tore at me. I held her tighter.

"I cannot. You know that. You know I would. I am needed here" She felt many things as she made her request of me; selfish; guilty and uncertain. I was already resolved and so there was no struggle within me. If my end would bring about a safer world for my children and her than so be it. I would meet the true death with no regrets. She was a strong woman and I knew she would be brokenhearted if I did not return but she herself would never break.

Anger had been serving to restrain her tears but now then fell. "I need you. Our children need you" I kissed her head and took deep breaths of her scent. This was the hardest thing I ever had to do.

"Please lover" I begged fighting my own tears. "Please, for me say that you'll go"

I knew she had realized and accepted the truth that when she left she may never see me again; she would give birth without me; I would never see our children grow. "Okay" She sobbed and her body shook.

"Hush" I whispered while rocking her gently. Her sobs were raking into my heart and I wanted her to stop so badly. I couldn't take much more. "Stop, this is not good for them" As I begged her to stop crying my own tears stained the pillow underneath my head. "Do not be afraid. Come what may I am with you always. Never forget it. Never doubt it" Those words were as much a reassurance to her as they were to me.


	29. Earning A new Title

I got a bouquet of flowers that helped me decide on my next chapter dedication! And so this chapter goes out to you **IRIS**! By the way your review had me thinking…

It made me curious to see if any any of you out there had the same thoughts. Check out her review and let me know. It is a very interesting point if I do say so myself.

**Eric**

**Chapter Twenty-Nine**

**Earning A New Title**

It was not only an erroneous assumption but an outright delusion of my own design. The fact that my children grew so swiftly in the womb led me to believe that when it was time for them to enter the word their pace would be just as expeditious; an idea they proved so very wrong. Later when Sookie calculated the total time spent during child birth the end number was twenty-five and a half hours. By her estimation only twelve hours of that time was active labor. During those hours our children made her work for the title of mother. Unbeknownst to her as she took a bath last night her water broke signaling the first stage of the end of her pregnancy.

I woke early tonight. It was a heavily over casted day. At my age it served to give me an hour or two before first dark. It took me exactly one second to register my wife's emotions; exit my day chamber; the house and bound to the home of the Koválls where Sookie was. She was in pain.

Demetrius opened the door and I blew past him without as much as a nod. Sookie was in a bedroom Eráh was seated next to her on the bed. She was applying a damp cloth of her head. Cohan was seated next to her on the other side in a chair. I could see that Sookie had a very firm (if not painful) grip on his hand but he appeared to be the pillar of calm. He stepped aside and I took her hand. She held onto me tightly but she was focused intently on evening out breathing.

"Have you called Ludwig" I asked my wife rather tactlessly but I wanted to assess the situation right away.

"Do I look like I can answer your questions right now?" she hissed. Her breathing was contrived and the worse of the pain had not yet subsided.

When her pain subsided Cohan indicated for me to follow him.

"I will be right back" I kissed Sookie's head and followed him out.

"How long?" I asked. It was still early for her to give birth and I worried for both the safety of my wife and our children. According to the doctors calculations there was a little under three weeks left. I was anxious but did not let it show. It was not going to help Sookie now.

"She woke very early and came here to spend the day with Rin and I" Though I long had the suspicion I did not spare the time to register that he was telling me he was indeed a day walker. I was only glad that Sookie had not been suffering alone while I rested Nor was she with the fairies whom I did not trust "Around noon the pain began and she called the doctor. When she did not respond she called on the aide of her fairy cousin: Claude" Again I should have noted the faint traces of fairy in the air but I was trying to absorb many more important details. "He informed her that the children were healthy" Claude was gifted in that aspect so I would have to trust his analysis. They were healthy that was the most important thing. "Her pain has slowly been increasing in intensity and frequency"

It was expected. Her snapping at me just then was just the beginning as I would soon find out. In my human days men had no place in a birthing room. That did not keep many of us from hearing our wives screaming in agony as they brought our children into the world. No matter how it pained me to watch Sookie in pain there was nothing I could do to help with that part. All I could do now was help her be strong.

"I will go in search of this demon doctor" Cohan said. I described Ludwig to him in great detail.

"Thank you" I said to him. He smiled and placed his hand on my shoulder. Surprisingly it eased some of my worries.

"Think young king Eric your children will arrive this night" The prospect had him beaming brightly and he seemed thrilled on my behalf. I nodded and he left me.

Eráh handed me the cold cloth when I returned to the room. Before she left she came to the other side of the bed and laid one of her hands on Sookie's chest. The other went to her head and pushed it back gently. I wanted to tear her hands from her shoulders. The only other person I have seen do that was Cohan and the subject had been Victor Madden. No one who witnessed that occurrence could say exactly what he did to him. Till this day I do not understand it. All I knew was Cohan dismantled Victor from the inside out with the same placement of his hands. My jaw clenched and my fangs were straining to extend against the hold. Noticing my very murderous expression Eráh withdrew her hands.

"I am sorry I should have explained" She appeared embarrassed instead of afraid. I calmed myself. I knew she meant Sookie no harm. They have had many chances to hurt her if that had been their intent. "There is a network of energy that controls and connects all things alive and dead. It is not a knife that kills but the disturbance it causes in the flow of one's energy and when you die the energy you put into the world changes it never disappears. My father sees this network in the body and he showed me how."

"Like the Buddhist palm?" Sookie said thoughtfully. Eráh smiled and nodded vigorously.

"Yes the Buddhist palm is one concentrated blow that sends a wave of…static into the body. It can only be used to destroy. It is a thousand times less complex than this. This technique can return life into an empty shell or take it away. It can bring pleasure or pain." Sookie nodded.

"Sounds very Yoda and Zen-master-esque" my wife surmised. I smiled her interpretation of things was nothing short of precise and comical at times.

Eráh laughed blithely. Her red curly hair danced across her face and she appeared to be no more than a happy child. "Demetri will love that" She said with a shake of her head. "With that Yoda and Zen mater I can help alleviate your pain" Ludwig did not want to use any of the pain medicine that most women used during birth. It was the plan to avoid that if it was possible. The doctor could not say with absolute certainty that the foreign substances would not cause harm to the children. I was grateful that I would not have to watch helplessly as Sookie suffered.

I nodded and Eráh returned her hands where they had been. I fully opened the bond to feel what Sookie was feeling. She was felling a small amount of anxiety. There was still slight discomfort in the background. Nothing happened for several seconds then I felt a slight tingle course through her body. It was airy and light and registered cool in temperature. I could not say if that sensation was purely physical for her but I felt it clearly through our bond.

"Take a deep breath" Eráh called in lulling voice. Sookie complied and when she let out the breath all the remnants of her physical pain evaporated and with it went her anxiety.

"Thank you" Sookie said. Her tone was one of immense gratitude.

"You are most welcome but unfortunately in your condition it can only be done once more or it will cause interference" Sookie nodded. That was quite the drawback but it was still better than anything either of us could have hoped for. Eráh smiled down at her and left.

I kicked my shoes and lay with Sookie tucked next to me. She no longer had need for the cold compress. She asked me to braid her hair and I did. She had to be feeling exceptionally well for her to be worrying about her appearance. Naturally I couldn't resist teasing her.

"So I take it I no longer have to fear for my safety" I asked calmly. Sookie laughed.

"Sorry" She said.

"Quite all right" I kissed her head.

I looked out at the grey sky as a light drizzle began to fall. Sookie informed me that the overcast of the day was not natural. Atéyo was away influencing the weather they knew I would wake and they knew she needed me. She told me about her day. When Claude came to make his examination the fairies insisted that all those of the Kováll that were awake be outside in their line of sight. Cohan obliged them.

Dermot had come to see her but he did not make the same reasonable but overdone request. The only children of Kováll that were old enough to be awake during the day were Eráh, Atéyo and Negy. Demetrius was still building his immunity to sunlight but he could be lucid during the day. Anthony was too young for either. I wondered if that ability came with age of was it central only to Cohan's blood like my ability to fly.

There was a low knock on the door. We both knew it was the only other human in the house.

"Come in" Sookie called there was a smile in her voice. Aríndia entered with a small tray in her hands. There was a newly warmed bottle of blood and a bottle of water. I got up to help her but she shook her head. She set the tray on the night stand and brought me my blood with a napkin under it.

"Thank you" I said. She smiled displaying perfect dimples and nodded in acknowledgement. She was a beautiful child. I knew when she got older her father would have trouble not killing men that would chase after her. I looked at her wondering what twist of events had brought her to this particular clan of vampires. Atéyo did not steal her or acquire her through force or even manipulation. From the way he looked and fawned over her he loved her too much to do any such thing.

Fate had smiled on Aríndia. There were some humans that would disagree with that fact regardless of how good her life was. Even if she was not a princess she was still loved and provided for. Most humans weren't practical that way. All they saw were vampires. I heard talks of that nature at the wedding. None of them knew that she was the most well protected child there was. She had a house of day walkers that would bend to her will and die in her defense. I looked into her electric blue eyes and wondered if my children would grow up in France with her or with me.

Suddenly Sookie laughed but turned it into coughing to disguise the fact. I would guess something in the child's mind was amusing. As young as she was Aríndia exuded a kind of grace and poise that some vampires could not in centuries of living. Like an aged vampire she maintained eye contact simultaneous eye contact with us. Clearly she had something to say.

"If you have a son. He will be a prince and I wish court him then wed him" My eyes widened; both at her very calm expression and her bold declaration. I was too shocked to laugh and too amused to form another type of response. Sookie having seen the question had more time to prepare a response.

"I can't tell anyone who to court or marry" she began gently. "Even my own son" Aríndia nodded.

"Yes, my Atan says so" Atan was a term that meant father or grandfather or uncle or aunt Anthony explained this to me. In this instance I thought it meant father. "but he says if your son is willing then I may but he has to keep it in his pants" Sookie's face turned a bright shade of scarlet both at the child's words and the effort from not laughing. My lips were pressed into a hard line. Aríndia, completely oblivious to our reactions continued in a musing tone "What could be in his pants?" She looked at us expectantly.

I spoke and diverted the subject from the male anatomy "He has to be older and he has to be willing we will not force him" Aríndia was thrilled with that small allowance. She beamed at me and left the room. Sookie threw her hand over her mouth and giggled. I could not help but laugh. I had respect for that child. She did not send her father or anyone else. She knew what she wanted and stepped up to get it. It was an admirable quality in one so small.

"I'm glad you didn't take her up on her offer" Sookie said.

"I would never" I replied evenly. There was no longer any trace of humor in my voice.

I could not find a better match for any child of mine than a child of Kováll but I would never rob someone I loved that way.

Finding a mate for one's offspring was a part of parenting as feeding or clothing your child. Even in my human time it was not forced if either potential mate contested vehemently. Ocella didn't give a shit about any of that. I assumed he only wanted to take me with him just to care for Alexei but it was much worse.

"We came by way of Oklahoma" He had said. I did not know in passing that state he had promised my hand to the vampire queen that ruled it. This was unknown to me until I received a letter from Freyda herself the day before my coronation.

There is no doubt that if I had been thinking in a more reasonable manner I would have welcomed the opportunity to wed a beautiful and powerful queen. Even if I was not with Sookie I no longer wanted to be a slave. My maker's final death was supposed to bring me freedom. It was confusing to hate him but want to honor him but Ocella had forced things on me for too long.

Having suffered the final death it seemed he was intent on forcing demeaning acts on me from beyond the veil. He had signed promissory letters offering my hand to the queen of Oklahoma; a document I could fight but in a court of vampire law it would hold.

It was amusing how close I had come to losing my freedom again. It was actually Victor's hasty actions the night he captured me that gave me a way out. Becoming king nulled the documents. Unions between two royals had to be decided upon strictly between the two. In her desperation to get me to come to her Freyda offered me some of her kingdom. Still I refused and in the end her invitation to my coronation and wedding were rescinded. I wanted her as an ally but not at that cost. It was much too high.

I looked at what that would have cost me and I was happy Sookie made as irrational as she did. She was slowly drifting into sleep. Her hands were under her head like a small child. Her breathing was deep but every twelve minutes or so her body would tense with a contraction but she slept through it. While she slept I called Ludwig several times but I got no response. I checked the news for attacks that may have happened during the day but got no word of any. I did not know what was keeping her.

The rain was heavy now and I wondered if that was playing a part in the doctors absence. It was almost first dark when Cohan arrived. I left the room to seek him out and found him in the kitchen.

"She cannot come" He said while blotting his hair dry.

"Why?"

"She sends her apologies. There was an attack directed at the two natured in Nebraska earlier today." He said to me. I wanted to be angry but it was not justified. In a way we made Nebraska a target when Thalia went there for help from Alex. Sophie-Anne's had incurred losses and a great fighter like Eliza and got nothing during their interrogation. Ludwig had warned me that she had to save lives first. The next choice was the fairies. Then his words fully registered and I became confused. He had travelled almost sixteen hundred miles in less than two and a half hours.

"Did you fly?" I asked out of sheer curiosity. That distance was impossible unless he moved at the speed of light. He wrung his damp hair and pulled it into a small bun high atop his head.

"No. Teleported" He said absently frowning at the weather through the window. I gave him the same look people gave me when I told them I could fly. "Excuse me" he said. I nodded.

"Rin" He called. I heard the child clamoring from the other side of the house towards us.

"Atan" She said running into his waiting arms. He picked her up and kissed her head. He spoke to her in their language. She laughed and nodded. Then she ran out into the accelerating rains through the back door.

He turned to me after she had gone. "Do not worry Eric. All will be well" I wanted to believe that but I had to make plans to make sure that was indeed the end result.

"I have to have words with the fairies" I told him. He shook his head.

"No your place is by her side. I will go" He turned before I could protest. I felt like he and his family had done so much for Sookie already. I did not want to ask for more. Cohan walked back out into the rain only this time he stopped to take a hooded jacket with him.

I watched him as he went and a realization came to me. He was a king in the noblest right because he lived to serve. It was backwards for almost all vampires. Sookie said he cooked her and Aríndia a meal today. She gushed over the way he took extra care in selecting her clothes and fixing her hair. Existing for as long as he has life should have lost meaning eons ago. The world should have been nothing but a blurring redundant wasteland from which there was no end. It was not that way for Cohan. He lived for his children now; to serve them; to provide for them; and to protect them. To harm his children was to take away his reason to continue living; and that deserved the scale of wrath he was known to unleash. If I survived all of this, that would be my life. The mere thought of it filled me with emotions too profound for words.

That was how Anthony found me; staring off into the distance, enveloped in a joy so prodigious it was almost painful.

"Hi" He said. I blinked and turned to face him. Of course he was wearing a smile and of course it annoyed me. "Sorry I couldn't give you any warning but I saw it right before dawn and it wasn't enough time" I nodded. I did not expect him to be omnipotent "How are you doing?" He asked. I was going to roll my eyes at his ridiculous question but then for some bizarre reason I took a second to really process his question. It had been an emotional few days.

"I am eager I think" I concluded. He smiled and nodded. He heated a blood for himself but did not offer me one knowing I would decline.

"Have you ever wondered about my attachment to Sookie" He said after his drink had warmed.

"No"

"I have and I finally have an answer" His hands went to further dishevel his already messy hair. "I was not myself when we initially met" He looked at me to see if he had to explain the details or not. He did. Sookie never talked to me about him because I did not care. "I suffered injuries as a child that causes me to become disoriented if I am pulled abruptly from a vision. I am often lost between the now and the future when that happens. It was in that state that I first saw her face" He said. I tried not to frown. It is very like Sookie to take in a seemingly crazed vampire and harbor him in her home. That woman was prone to life threatening acts of compassion. "In that vision she was my best friend" He saw the less than happy expression on my face and smiled. "It is not so yet but in the centuries to come we will become inseparable" Before I could even begin to formulate a reaction or response I felt Sookie begin to stir. I disappeared from the table and appeared by the bed.

She was not fully awake yet but her pain was already registering with me. Her eyes snapped open like a spring and she cursed. I crawled in next to her and offered my hand. Instead of panting like most humans did when they were in pain. Her breaths were deep and measured. When it was over I rearranged the pillows and propped her up so she was comfortable. She had a sip of water and her face was flushed. She was looking around the room and I knew she was looking for the doctor that would not come.

"Where is Ludwig?" She asked.

"She cannot be here. There was an emergency in Nebraska" I explained calmly. The grip she had on my hand tightened as she absorbed the news. Then she became very irate very quickly.

"Bullshit! Eric she needs to be here. What am I supposed to do?" She fumed "So help me god I will send Dermot after her if I have to do this alone" I smiled if I were Ludwig I would not come back around here for some time. Sookie meant every word.

"Easy lover" I kissed her "You will not be alone. I am here" She gave me a look that said my medical abilities were questionable. "I had cattle in my day" I added calmly. "It can't be all that different"

"Eric!" She released my hand and shoved at me "That's not funny" I laughed not being able to help myself she tried not to smile but lost.

"Cohan went to have a word with the fairies they are the next best thing that is readily available" She nodded and seemed reassured.

There was a knock at the door. I knew it was Cohan but there were two people with heart beats with him but I couldn't identify them by scent.

"Enter" I said. Cohan had brought with him Lyra and Claude. The were beautiful as fairies normally were. The scent of fairy was absent. Pulling in their scents gave me nothing. There was nothing delicious about them they smelled…bland. I stared at them dubiously waiting for someone to explain.

"As promised" Cohan said cheerfully "Some helping hands" He waved at Sookie then he left. For several seconds Claude and Lyra stood where they were; keeping their eyes focused intently on my every twitch.

"What did he do you, you smell…"

"Bad" Lyra interrupted with a hopeful air to her voice.

I shook my head. "Dull" I said. They did not smell unappealing as most inedible things did but if I had choices I would not feed from them. Their scent did not call to my senses in any way. Claude took offense to my description.

"Well you still stink to the high heavens like a gallon of cheap cologne" I rolled my eyes. He had a very difficult time not being desired by that which should want him most, idiot.

"If it will appease your vanity I can drain you" I said showing a faint glimpse of fang. "Or you can tend to my wife" Sookie grabbed my hand not sure if my threat was serious. I was joking-mostly.

"They are fine" Claude said after briefly touching her. Lyra's examination was painful and Sookie whimpered and cried. I was on the bed facing her and forcing her to focus on me and not the pain.

"Your body still has work to do but soon I think" she said it with something that resembled a smile. I was sure it was a first.

By "work" Lyra meant Sookie would have to writhe in agony and by soon she meant five hours. In the beginning there were interludes between the contractions and pain. Towards the end she was barely able to catch her breath between each one. Her emotional strength was waning and so was her physical.

"Eric" She sobbed clinging to me.

"I am here" I was using the cold compress to wipe away the thing film of sweat that was on her head and neck.

"I can't…" Her words were cut off as her body seized with another contraction. She clutched at my hand and let out a strangled scream. I brushed her hair back. In a rushed voice I murmured words of comfort and reassurances to her. She was now panting unable to control her breathing.

"You need to breath" I reminded gently.

"I'm trying" She ground out through clenched teeth. "I'm trying" she repeated with a sob. "Please get Eráh to come back. Please" She had been calling for Eráh to repeat the procedure that would alleviate the pain but Lyra examined her several times. She was not as far long as she needed to be. If Eráh took the pain away and the effects faded before she had to actually deliver Sookie would be in hell. She knew this but every time the pain tore through her body she would beg for Eráh. For the past hour I had been refusing her pleas.

"It is too soon" I said to her. "Just a little bit longer lover"

She shook her head and cried. "I can't Eric. I can't" I wiped her tears and held her face in my hands.

She was wasting much needed energy on tears. "Enough, stop crying" My voice was firm. I have never used this tone with her before and it gave her no alternative but to do as I said. Her bottom lip quivered and she sniffled in an attempt to comply. I waited for to draw in a shaky breath. When I continued my voice was softer. "You have done extraordinary things. This is no different. It does not matter if you can, you must" She nodded and I kissed her. "Be strong"

The night wore on I gained new respect and admiration for my wife. Her body continued the birthing process. There were no breaks from the pain and contractions. She screamed and cursed but she did not cry. She broke the little finger on my right hand more than once. Lyra had been coming to examine her every half hour and finally close to midnight she declared Sookie was ready.

Sookie barked it. Lyra sang it. I almost shouted it. "Eráh!" we said in unison.

0o0o0o0

So did that bring back some memories for you mommies out there? If you ask me it shouldn't be mother's day it should be mother's month. My labor was so painful I think I repressed it. Seriously I had to ask a friend to describe hers because I couldn't remember mine!

So are we taking bets on the sex of the children?


	30. Letting Go

_**EMERGENCY BROADCASTING:**_ Iris was wrong okay! You hear me! Wrong! Please no one virtually kick and or punch me, alright ? Thanks. {Phew}

**NessaNarmolanya **this chapter is for you. It is so special to me for two reasons. It involves the birth and with this one we begin the countdown to the end of this story and the series. Again I am beginning to get that bitter sweet feeling. It is almost over. We have seen our favorite characters; grow; suffer; fight and bleed. In the end we have to say goodbye to some people that have been with us since the beginning…

**Eric**

**Letting Go**

**Chapter 30**

It was not Erah that answered to her name but her father. Promptly he laid his hands on Sookie much like his daughter had done. I could feel the difference. His influence was stronger. No time lapsed from the instant he touched her to the diminution of her pain. Where the sensation had felt cool when Erah performed the procedure it now felt cold. He had no need to ask Sookie to take in a deep breath he did it for her. Lyra and I watched in amazement as Sookie relaxed her tense posture and the grip she had on my hand loosened. She could still feel some discomfort but it was nothing like she had been going through.

"Thank you" Sookie said. "But where's Eráh"

"I worried for her safety" Cohan replied with a sheepish grin. With good reason Sookie had broken my little finger a few times and it had set wrong. It was now was protruding at an awkward angle from my other fingers. Being able to heal quickly did not free you of the pain that came with injuries. I had to re-break it to correct the positioning I did not want her to see me do this. I began pulling away from Sookie for the first time in hours. Cohan saw my intent and stopped me.

"I can help if you permit" I nodded. It was close I could feel it. My children would be here soon. I did not want to leave so I took his help.

"Sorry" Sookie said. She reached her hand out and stroked my face. I held it there with my uninjured hand.

"It stopped being painful after the third time" I said. It was true mostly because her pain was all consuming I stopped registering my own.

"Some of your curse words I do not think I have ever heard on land or sea" Cohan said in disbelief. I laughed. Sookie was unabashed.

"I thought I was prepared for pain but nothing can prepare a person for _THAT_" she shook her head as if she still couldn't believe its magnitude. I rolled my eyes. She has endured more physical agony than anyone human should have. Child birth couldn't be the worse she had endured.

"That couldn't have been worse than getting staked?" I said.

"I had the luxury of unconsciousness" She reminded me. I laughed

"What of the beating that followed?" She shook her head.

"It was short lived" she said. I laughed at the expression on her face. I knew if given the choice she would take that encounter eagerly over the past few hours.

"Okay, but it couldn't have been worse than a gunshot" she snorted delicately and made no other response.

We had gotten lost in our banter and forgotten about Cohan and Lyra. Lyra looked impressed. Cohan looked afraid. He still had my wounded hand in both of his. He had stopped whatever he was going to do to correct the injury. He was staring at both Sookie and I with great concern.

"That is not as bad as it seemed" Sookie said with a reassuring smile that somehow displayed her discomfiture of the topic. I made a small noise to disagree. She elbowed me.

"It does not sound bad little one, it sounds calamitous" Cohan said. He focused on my hand again. The placement of his palms were completely symmetrical; both index fingers were curled in. I felt a surge of warmth going through my hand but the sensation was strongest at my damaged finger. I felt the bones within it unravel like a ribbon being pulled loose. There was no pain but still I had to fight the urge to recoil. The feeling was completely alien. Just as suddenly as the feeling of warmth came it subsided. He released me and my finger was whole again.

"I need another pair of hands" Lyra said. "I can see a head"

"Pam" I called. She appeared just as Cohan was leaving. Her eyes went over to Sookie and grin was threatening to break free on her face.

"Sookie…" She began.

"Pam, don't you say it" Sookie interrupted her. Pam kept her grin but said nothing else. I was excited and Sookie was anxious.

"What's wrong" I asked. "The hard part is over"

"This is really happening" she said in an unsteady voice. I smiled and nodded. I did not understand why that would make her anxious. "We are going to be parents" I smiled at her stating another obvious point.

"This worries you?" She nodded.

"I have no idea what to do as a mom" I shrugged calmly. I have had this thought months ago.

"Me either" I admitted. "Instinct will guide us and we will learn quickly" The roles of fathers have changed over time. This was going to be as foreign to me as it was to her. Sookie has always been able to compliment me in the best way. Where I was weak she was strong. Our children will be benevolent with her influence but with my leadership they will be mighty in their own right. I knew any child will be lucky to have us. My words reassured her.

No matter the progress of her body or the fact that she was so close she still had to work for it. Instead of simply enduring the force of each contraction she used them. Lyra would give her mark and Sookie would have to bare down on her body and push. Sweat covered her body and she gave what little she had every time. Her will was strong but her body was long enervated. Still she continued and she was rewarded not too long after.

Sookie and I had not yet settled on names but I knew his name the moment my son entered the world. That memory was ingrained into the very tapestry of my being. It was now a part of me like him and his mother. Lyra wrapped helped him out and wiped him with a damp towel. All I could see from my angle was blonde locks. They were fairer than mine. His skin was lacteal, pale as all vampires but there was a flush that colored him that indicated something other. His pulse was sluggish and lazy but strong. The room was completely still as we waited for him to cry as expected. He didn't. Instead he yawned and stretched his body with his tiny body fists balled.

Claude who had been standing by took him from Lyra and checked for any signs of damage. I knew there were none. This day had been just as exhausting for him he simply wanted to sleep. I smiled.

Alrick was born six minutes before his sister. She cried and flailed her limbs in protest of Lyra cleaning her; in a word fiery. She was slightly bigger than her brother. I was absorbed in the moment. So much so I did not notice Sookie was failing. She had released me and her hand was lying limply on the bed but she was beckoning Pam towards her so she could hold Alrick. Pam did not move. Her eyes came to me.

"Something is wrong" she said. I took Sookie's face in my hands. Her pulse was weakening. It appeared she was keeping her eyes open through sheer stubbornness alone. Claude gave our daughter to Lyra and appeared on the other side of his cousin. He ran his eyes over her body and touched her arms.

"Sookie" I didn't know what was wrong or what to do. She had not lost threatening amounts of blood. I slapped her cheek lightly. "Lover, open your eyes"

"What's wrong with her" I asked Claude.

"Nothing" He shook his head and was clearly baffled; useless, utterly and completely, useless.

Both children had begun wailing; their cries were high pitched and demanding as if they knew what they were in danger of losing.

"Pam, get them out of here" I couldn't think. She vanished from the room instantly taking both children with her. Claude followed after her.

I arranged myself around Sookie so I could give her blood when I did nothing happened. The fairy was right nothing was wrong with her body. It simply seemed to be failing her.

"Stop" Lyra called. "Someone calls her from the Summerlands"

"What the fuck does that mean?" I growled at her. I was tearing into my wrist again despite what I knew.

Nothing explained why Lyra leapt over the bed and knocked my hand away from Sookie's lips. She kicked me backwards with both feet. I staggered and snarled. Lyra was now between my dying wife and me. Her posture was protective but it would do her no good. I would tear her heart out.

"If you force me I will kill you. Move" I was not going to ask again and she knew it. She was already assuming a fighting stance.

"You are going to kill her" She shouted at me. I was already stepping her direction when Anthony appeared in the room between us.

"Stop him" Lyra protested. "She goes to answer a call. Anymore of his blood will kill her" Anthony stepped slowly from my path pulling Lyra with him consequently saving her life. His gaze was on me. There was something there made me stand stock still.

"Eric, listen to me" I shook my head.

"I know what you are going to say I will not let her go" I said flatly.

"You must" I shook my head again with my teary eyes on my wife. I was now on the bed with her gathered in my arms. I trusted him but the physical evidence that she was in mortal peril was screaming for me to act. She appeared so peaceful almost as if she were asleep. Behind her lids her eyes moved as if she were dreaming except her pulse was telling me otherwise.

"I won't lose her" I whispered more to myself than Anthony. I was bringing my wrist to my lips. Sookie has not suffered and endured all that has to die now; not when she had so much to live for. She could hate me for the remainder of time but I would turn her to save her. I would not live without her and neither would our children. I simply refuse.

"No one said that" Lyra interjected heatedly. I had already bitten into my wrist.

"Eric with your current path her life ends in approximately two minutes" His voice was cold. It was like having water splashed in my face. It returned me to my senses. "Leave her and you may have forever" I withdrew my wrist. I laid her back gently upon the pillow and brushed some stray hairs from her face. I found a small towel and began cleaning her face.

Anthony came and placed a hand on my shoulder. "You should go" he said. I shook my head and kept my eyes fixed on Sookie's face as if it would return her to me. "Your children await you" he said. He was right. Sookie alone was no longer the center of existence. I knew she would not want me to leave our children to sit by her bed side in fact she would hate it.

"I don't want to leave her alone" I said. He nodded and took a seat in the empty chair by the bed.

I went home where my children were. I wanted to go to them but I did not want grief in my eyes the first time I held them. Instead I showered to wash my worries away. Pam was with them but so was Atéyo. I could feel she wanted to care for the newest members of our family as was her duty but she did not know how. Children had been foreign to her entire existence so the presence of Atéyo was a blessing.

I was on my way to the nursery when I heard Pam. "Perhaps a different hat that one is truly hideous" She said.

Ateyo laughed. "Nothing could diminish her beauty" He replied.

I was in the door way and I saw the hat in question. It was one Sookie made herself. I respected my wife's interest in needle arts but the hat was indeed offensive to the eyes mainly because it was somewhat oblong in structure instead of round. She was proud of it and so my daughter was condemned to wear it. In any case she seemed content now. Ateyo cooed and murmured to her. He maneuvered her expertly in his hands and she was not objecting to his attentions. Again I found myself grateful for the presence of the Koválls. I also felt he was giving us an honor because his usual cumbersome mane was pulled into a messy bun high atop his head. There was a towel draped over one of his shoulders and he had a smaller one hanging from his back pocket.

Pam however looked as uncomfortable as I have ever seen her in all our years together. She was standing off awkwardly in a corner watching with both interest and anxiety as Ateyo saw to my child. I knew she would rather fight in their defense than provide maternal care. In her opinion the former was a much easier feat no matter the advisory. I smiled. Relief colored her face when she saw me. It was marred with concern as well but she said nothing and hurried from the room brushing her hand on my arm lightly as she went. It was a small comfort that was much needed

I sat and held my son and examined him in greater detail. Though they were twins I could already see they were not identical. The differences were slight and weaker senses may make the mistake. They shared the same hair color and of course the tone of their skin was the same but their facial features differed. Alrick favored his mother. He had her nose and the shape of her eyes but the coloring of his was a darker blue that both hers and mine; a sparkling deep cerulean. His sister resembled me from the same blue of my eyes to the shape of her lips.

Ateyo was handing me my daughter and I was giving him Alrick. He was not completely clean nor was he clothed. I was sure there was an ugly hat for him as well. I followed Ateyo to the bathroom that was adjoined to the nursery. He had gathered all the necessary things to bathe him. Half of these things I did not know were in the house. There was a small portable tub within the larger one. He filled it with warm water. I took a seat close to the tub and watched closely.

"He is an easy baby" Ateyo said with a smile. "Very calm" I nodded.

"That is the meaning of his name. Alrick means peaceful in Dutch"

He smiled and nodded. "It is most befitting" Never would I have thought this moment possible. Holding my child and discussing the topic of infants with a child of Kováll.

It had been my hope that I would be able to feel my children with in to a certain degree but I felt nothing. My blood recognized theirs but that was the extent. It left me guessing blindly at their needs. Even now as I held her close my daughter was becoming agitated. Her hands were breaking free of the blanket and she reaching for her head apparently taking exception to the hat. I looked down as her distress continued to build. I removed the hat but that was not the cause. I was unsure how to proceed.

"They like movement" Atéyo called over his shoulder. I stood and began pacing the small space. It pacified her. By the time Alrick was finished with his bath she was asleep.

Still every two minutes without fail my eyes drifted to the house where Sookie still lay. I could feel her within me still but it was weak. It was as though she was very, very far away. I began a conversation as a means to distract myself. I asked about different devices and their uses and Ateyo explained it all to me.

I lay my daughter down and attempted to dress her brother. His eyes followed my movements with a focus that should have been beyond him given that he was not even an hour old. Like I suspected there was an ugly hat for Alrick but he did not seem to mind the affliction. He did not demand I walk for him to sleep. I held him familiarizing myself with his scent; the texture of his skin; the weight of him in my arms like I had done with his sister. When he succumbed to sleep I laid him next to herr. There were two cribs but they should not be apart.

Despite my protest Atéyo put all things back in order. He even warmed a bottle of blood for me. He put soiled clothes in the washer and cleaned bottles to prepare them for use. In the absence of their mother's milk my children had been given synthetic blood. It agreed with their system and they would not go hungry. I watched them as they slept thinking about my long, long life.

Had I been younger I would not have the acumen to see what my children were. They were so very small and depended entirely on me or their mother. On the surface there was no purpose to having them but I could see their value lay in the caliber of a person they made me. With their birth I became something else; something more than vampire or less depending on whom you asked.

"I will leave you now if you wish" Atéyo said pulling me from my musing. I shook my head. His company was comforting. I offered him the only chair in the room but he waved me away and sat on the floor across from me. He drew his knees up and wrapped his arms around himself. It was a very human pose.

"It is frightening is not?" Atéyo said following my eyes to the crib. "To love something so fragile" I nodded.

"Tell me something" I asked. He nodded.

"Has it always been like this" I gestured towards the crib then to myself "Were we always so different" I was not entirely sure what I was asking or why, maybe I just wanted to fill my mind with something trivial what I got in response was anything but. In the time I spent with him I learned about all that I thought I was but wasn't.

Atéyo smiled and shook his head. "All you know of vampire origin is false" He told me calmly. I said nothing and waited for him to continue while thinking of what was the common legend of vampire origin. It was said that a powerful voodoo priest in the dawn of time had lost his wife and tried to bring her back. In spilling blood to revive her she required blood to continue to living. The sun, the affliction to silver and lethality of a stake in the heart was his way to control his creation.

"You are a child of Khan so is every vampire younger than my father that is not of his blood" He continued. Doubt weighed heavily as I tried to disregard all that I knew of my species. He nodded but otherwise remained a still glowing compact figure before me. His eyes appeared eons away as he traveled through time. "Seven Deities were born into this world as gifts to humanity; to guide them through the darkness; to aide them in their hour of need; to keep them from self-destruction but most importantly to maintain and protect the balance of life. These seven beings were worshiped and loved as gods but over time humans evolved. The deities were forgotten; the old ways lost. Soon those who once; revered and loved them turned on them" One of his tattooed hands went through his hair and he suddenly looked aged as if having to speak of this weighed on his very soul. "In a fire set by those they trusted two; Corren and Kiva perished but even as they were demonized and hunted they could not change so they fled. Knox took with him his wife Kana; their children and all humans who sought new beginnings. Upon a ship they sailed to the lands eternal; away from the horrors of this world. They became the Fairies. Caleb shifted into a wolf to take refuge and he became the father of werewolves and shape shifters" The origins of either species was never something I knew or ever wondered about but now I was curious as to whether or not they knew this part of their history or did they like vampires rewrite it in the way that was favorable and easiest for them. It left me questioning many things.

"Two remained Cohan and Khan. My father looked and saw a species; misguided and nascent and took pity. He forgave the murders of his comrade and his mate Kiva. With clean hands and a broken heart he gave his powers back to the source. He vowed on the life of his son and all his children henceforth that he had no more lives to sacrifice for the ignorance of humans but his own. His bargain was accepted and he left humanity to their own devices" I was enthralled.

"Who was the source?" I asked.

"It has many names God is the most popular" I nodded for him to continue.

"Khan was the last remaining and his heart became filled with so much rage and hate at the injustice. He wanted to fight and in raising his hand to his charge he tainted his purpose. For it was not justice he sought but vengeance. He embraced barbarism as the humans did but unlike humans his hate became his damnation and that of all his children" Atéyo waved his hand towards the window. "Over time it poisoned his blood making him weaker; susceptible until a plain arrow pierced his chest and ended him. Humans had chased him into the shadows but he bound himself to the night. They had taken silver to him but he caused his body to forbid it" He concluded. "This is all that is left of siblings who were born of Gods" A look of sadness glazed his eyes. I looked at him seeing a day walker who was immune to Sino-AIDS; whose body was immune to silver. Another vampire would have used that power to dominate those around him. None of them had interest in conquest.

In all my years I have never heard a vampire question their origin, myself included. It was of no value to us. I have never questioned our connection to other species or other worlds. Once our human life ended humans were no longer of consequence to us out side of what services they could provide. That was how we were trained to regard everyone. I did not have the imagination to wonder what the vampire world would be like if our all father was Cohan. Compassion would have been the norm and not the exception to the rule. Then a question occurred to me.

"There were other children like mine in that time" Atéyo smiled and nodded.

"Yes, Kiva was my mother. Knox and Kana had many children together and with other humans. " He responded.

"What stopped it?" I asked.

"I think Khan's will is rooted in the blood of his descendant and will not allow it. My father thinks the ability died with the old ways but he fathered Demetrius with a fairy lover of his" He shrugged his shoulders. "Perhaps some fairies and vampires can breed but with the scent..." He trailed off.

Together we sat in silence. My mind was filled with all that I have learned. I had endless amounts of questions but Alrick woke shortly followed by his sister. I held them and Ateyo warmed bloods and showed me how to test the temperature on my wrist. They had just finished their meal when suddenly there was a lot of noise coming from outside.

I called Gideon to me but he was already sliding into the house through the side entrance by the pool. He was followed by Negy who was half pulling and half dragging Demetrius with her.

"Rin is asleep with Erah at the house" Demetrius told Atéyo. He nodded and handed Alrick to Negy.

"Noise came from the main gate" Gideon told us "Don't know what's going on; came straight here" I handed him my daughter.

"Stay with them" I said. I felt he wanted to be by my side but he nodded and took her gently from me. We were heading to the door with Demetrius following behind us.

"Demetri. Stay. Inside" Atéyo gave his younger brother a stern look. Demetrius frowned.

"I suppose I will be fitted for my own diaper when you return" he sank into the closets chair with no grace at all.

Pam was perched on the roof on my house. Her people and all of mine were placed strategically around the surrounding houses. Atéyo and I continued walking towards the end of the cul-de-sac. That held the house of his family, mine and the fairies.

"Téyo tell father" Anthony called. His head was looming out of a window in the room that Sookie was in. "It is only the fairies"

I looked and found Cohan seated on the porch of the same home directly in front of the door. His legs were folded under him and his hands were moving at speeds too rapid for me to follow. Other than that he was eerily still. The same power that he emanated from his eyes was pouring from him in full. I took a step to the side so I was no longer in his line of fire.

"Atan" Atéyo said tapping his shoulder lightly. "Father"

I did not know what sort of hell he was going to unleash it had to have been of an uncharacteristic nature because Anthony sounded afraid as he gave another more pressing warning. "Téyo you must hurry" he called sticking his head further out the window. His eyes were veering to the main gate. "Atéyo!" He called there was now an unmistakable note of panic in his voice.

Atéyo knelt behind his father and wrapped his arms wound his shoulders. He whispered to him and rocked his body against his own. Slowly Cohan's hands stopped moving and he opened his eyes.  
"Where are Demetrius and Negy"Cohan asked getting to his feet. Atéyo pointed to my house. He took his son's hand and walked with us to the main gate. We were joined by all the other royals except Pam who was still waiting ready on her perch.

"It is the fairies" I announced to them all. Not a single vampire relaxed.

"Open the gates" I called out. There was a sudden chill in the air as the gates opened.

Through the gate they entered in perfect formation. The form was not militant for it exuded much too much elegance and beauty. It resembled the slow cascading of a water fall or the hurried unfurling of a flower. Some carried swords and bows across their shoulders. Others carried bladed staffs and assorted weapons of choice. They were all dressed in traveling cloaks, some were green others were blue but they all bore the same crest; A white tree. In unison their steps halted and they turned as a single unit to face us. Their numbers poured in. Total there were twenty-nine. They pulled away the hoods of their cloaks as one. Fairies loved a dramatic entrance more than vampires.

A leader stepped forward. I knew their essence was being suppressed but it was not clear how. In these numbers whoever was casting the spell had to be powerful.

"I am Leland Brigant. I request an audience with the master of this house" His eyes ran from me to Cohan to Atéyo. His expression was superior with an overture of hostility. I stepped forward at the same time the fairies that had been residing here came running out to greet them. Claude threw himself at Leland catching him in a tight embrace. Lyra searched the faces of her kind and found who she was looking for. She broke their ranks and pulled one of the few females to her. The woman carried throwing knives and two small battle axes and an infant hidden under her cloak. Lyra's expression indicated she would either begin screaming obscenities or vomit. I interrupted. It would best for her to do either in private.

"You must be weary from your travel. There are houses there" I pointed across the lake. "You may make use of them" Claude and Lyra could help them "Tomorrow you will talk with us all" I turned and walked away without awaiting a response. I had more important things to attend to and dawn was near.

0o0o0o

So **NessaNarmolanya** what did you think? Did you guys all enjoy child birth from a vampire/male POV? It was particularly tricky.

Like always let me know your question, thoughts concern, likes, dislikes


	31. Crossing Planes and Changing Lanes

**Yuyu Northman **would you be so kind as to take a bow because chapter Thirty-one is all yours. Sharing is caring so please let us all read along will ya?

I have had many of you worried as to the whole Sookie not wanting to be turned thing. Right below is your answer. I was on the lookout for interesting names for the girl born to a vampire and a human. The most hilarious I got was the most practical: Erica.

**Sookie**

**Chapter Thirty-One**

**Crossing Planes and Changing lanes**

The first thing I was going to do when and if I ever woke up was talk to my great uncle Dermot and Eric about slapping people when they were passing out. It didn't help.

I felt like everything was faraway but I could see Eric's anxious face over mine. I looked past him and caught sight of a blonde haired little girl. I was reaching out for her and her brother but my arms wouldn't budge they felt like they weighed a ton so did my eye lids. My son's eyes were alert but mine were slipping out of focus until he blurred out of my sight and then there was nothing but complete darkness followed by a big burst of light.

I blinked slowly and found that I was under a cherry blossom tree. Many of the petals had fallen and I was lying on a bed of flowers. The scene resembled the back courtyard of the Caspian hotel where I got married but it was as though the side of the picture were faded; like someone had taken an eraser to the outer edges of it. I was so confused. It was all even more confusing because I was in my wedding dress. This had fairy shit written all over it. Just once I would like a warning when someone was going to do something with my body or life. It was getting a little ridiculous.

Right on cue he appeared. "Do not be afraid child" A voice called out from somewhere in the distance. I wasn't afraid I was irritated. I turned around glad that I wasn't alone but anxious as to where I was and who was here with me. The voice belonged to my great grandfather. He was walking with pep in his step like a spring chicken. I didn't know what was going on but I sure I was dead. I was okay with that. It wasn't exactly what I expected but I was happy to see a face I knew so naturally I began balling.

Niall stroked my hair and patted my back. He tried to hush me but nothing doing I was damn near hysterical.

"What's wrong?" He finally asked.

"I'm dead" I told him.

"No" He pulled away and smiled warmly at me as if he forgot I was especially dimwitted. I was even more baffled. Maybe this was an out of body experience or I was in a coma or purgatory for my many sins. All of those explanations were dreadful.

"But you are here and I'm with you so…" If at any point he was going to fill in the blanks this was the perfect time. He gave me grin that was nothing short of mischievous and nodded.

"Come" he pulled me to sit under the tree with him. "Try to reorient yourself then I will explain" He whistled a merry tune and waited patiently. As if he didn't have a care in the world he caught a few falling petal in his hand and blew it away. He was positively buoyant to be here where ever that was. He was taking it with great zeal. He was not acting like I knew him to be.

I just took some deep breath and took count of the good news so far. I delivered two children and they were safe with their father. I was only sort of dead but I was with Niall and he was happily dead. That last part was only kind of positive.

"The night I saw you I gave you a gift" he began. My anger at his highhandedness was long gone. He had made it possible for me to conceive a child with my vampire husband. If he had asked me I would have said no but now I couldn't imagine being happier. I wanted to thank him. It would put me in his debt but he could have it. He deserved it.

I had thought about what I would say to him many nights when I was lying awake unable to sleep from having active babies inside me. "Thank you. I didn't have the sense to think to ask for something like that and I don't think I could ever say how happy having them made me" I didn't notice the look of confusion on his face as I trudged through my speech. "They were born today" I told him in case he didn't know. "I had a boy and a girl" I couldn't help smiling as I made that announcement. Even after all the pain of labor it was still unreal to me apparently I wasn't the only one who thought it was unreal. Niall did too.

"The vampire allowed you to mate with another?" he asked. His face went blank with shock and he stopped smiling.

I flinched "No" I said. "It was because of what you did" I said my words slowly trying to jog his memory maybe you forgot something's when you died.

"What would that be?" He asked clearly flummoxed either that or he was doing an excellent job of acting.

"Wait, what are _you_ talking about?" I asked flatly. A trace of annoyance had seeped into my voice. I was in the twilight zone and I could do without the usual fairy evasiveness. Plus he was interrupting my speech.

"The night of your wedding I came to see to give you _Tana Hadin_" I let him explain the whole basis of the great wish to me even though I already knew the meaning. It gave me time so I could digest what was coming. "It will keep you from withering with time as is the latency with mortality" My mouth fell open.

Compared to Niall Eric wasn't so bad. My great grandfather's level of flagrant audacity was nothing but stupendous. Just when I thought he had out done himself he tops it. By the way, no one but a fairy could make mortality sound like a debilitating disease and an insult. He said "Mortality" like normal people would say "Cancer or Genital Herpes" I had several colorful things to say about that but I held my tongue and waited for him to finish. We may be stuck here together indefinitely I didn't want to tell my only companion off unless I had to.

"I know you are angry I did not ask but I would not have been able to complete it if you truly did not desire to be with your Eric always" He didn't hide his smugness either, not even a little bit. That took the potency out of the rant that was building in me. Anything I said now would be a sorry lie or whining. I frowned and said nothing.

That was a desire I had not wanted to admit to myself least of all to Eric. Since we had gotten married I had been counting every day like our time together had an expiration date because it did. I was happy but that thought was never far behind because I did not want to be made vampire there was nothing else to say or do. Niall had given me another option.

I found another reason to become belligerent.

"What's wrong with this place" As we were talking the eraser was creeping in on all sides. It was far away but it was still unsettling to watch as more and more of our surrounding faded into white. "And why am I in my wedding dress?" It fit me exactly as it did the day I got married. It was another good thing to be counted.

"I think you look lovely in it" I smiled at his compliment despite my pique. I haven't gotten a sincere compliment in a while also he was a fairy so it counted double. I did roll my eyes as he flattened the fringe on the train of my gown so it spilled out and lay next to me just perfect. I will never understand what it was with fairies and vanity. He was worrying over the presentation on my dress as if we were awaiting a photographer; at least I didn't think one was coming. I didn't ask.

When Niall was satisfied with the display of my dress he answered my first question. "This is the last place I saw you in the physical world. It also explains the dress" as I looked at him I saw he had the same suit. "It is fading because you are late" No way I was going to apologize. That's what happens when you don't tell people what you were up to but expected them to show up and play along. "You were supposed to return here three days after our meeting. What happened?" He asked curiously.

"I don't know" I told him honestly.

"Have you been hurt? Vast amounts of vampire blood could have delayed you" I shook my head not really concerned about the cause of my presumed tardiness. There was a more important issue I wanted to discuss.

"Nothing you told me so far explains how I got pregnant" Ordinarily that was a question no one but me would be able to answer but with magic there was no hard and fast rule. Niall quirked his eyebrow at me and I knew he didn't know what I was talking about. That wasn't possible. I was speechless all over again.

"So you had children" He said candidly to urge me to begin because he was plenty interested. I bet he also gotten sick of watching me gape like a fish.

"Yes" there was barely any volume in my voice. My right hand was resting flat on my tummy and it felt so strange; to have gone from a beach ball to nothing. I wasn't too sure of anything anymore maybe that had all been a dream. Or maybe I had finally lost my mind like a town full had been attesting to for years.

"The father" Niall prompted.

"Eric is the father" He made a small noise of amusement not disbelief or shock just like a 'humph'. I tell you his genial nature was really beginning to get on my nerves. I turned to look at him in the face. "You didn't have anything to do with that being possible"

"No, at least not intentionally" He said. For added emphasis he raised both his hands and shook his head. If he wasn't a fairy I would have said he protest too much but he was a fairy and his word was good. "It could be because you gave me gave me my son back. Or perhaps both of those desires were equally strong in your heart so both came to be or neither" He shrugged. I sat silent for a few minutes not knowing what to say.

I have always had this notion that when people you loved died they could keep watch over you. It wasn't the case at least not for fairies. Niall knew nothing.

"Tell me about them" He said. I couldn't help the smile that crept onto my face when he asked. Our backs were leaning against the tree and our fingers were intertwined. I leaned into him and told him what little I had experienced of my children.

"My son was born first. He didn't cry" We laughed as I described how ridiculous he looked yawning and stretching his teeny body fresh out of the womb. I couldn't really describe their features to him but he didn't seem to mind. I told him how I was willing to bet money my daughter was the one who spent many nights kicking the shit out of me.

"She has the spirit of the never fading star" He seemed to be talking to himself. I was going to ask him about that star but he had more questions. He asked about Claude and Dermot. The subject of fairies brought their potential impending demise to the fore front of my mind.

"They are in trouble" I said sadly. Niall looked away and shrugged his shoulders.

"There is nothing I can do and we cannot speak of ill things here" That was it. He didn't give me access codes to fairy super-secret weapons-nothing. He squeezed my hand and kept asking about other things.

For the first time Niall told me about him. Our time together was usually spent talking about me. He never explained fairy things to me. He has always been guarded and tight lipped about it. Today he was nothing like that. He appeared carefree as he told me about hills and mountains in a world that I would never see; about a world that was in danger. He told me about the mother of my grandfather. The first time we had met he told me of her. He had described her as simple but now I saw he loved her. I guess now that he was dead it was okay to admit he loved her the way Fintan had loved my gran. Life was a bitch to all species it seemed.

"You are happy in the Summerlands" I asked. He smiled. It was a serene and warm.

"Yes I am at peace" He said.

Niall let out a sigh. "Your spirit yearns to return to your body" I looked around and was more than concerned that there was nothing but a white canvas all around us. The cobbled stoned bridge was gone so was the lake under it. There were no more benches or sky everything that was not under the tree was whitewashed and it was getting closer. "You will remain as you were the night you wed. Your beauty will be ageless; time will no longer touch you" He swept a piece of perfectly curled hair behind my hair and smiled.

"I'm not a fairy" I asked for clarification. It would most certainly be ground for a divorce if my husband couldn't help himself and constantly tried to kill me. Not only that I didn't want to be a fairy any more than I wanted to be a vampire. I wanted to be able to remain myself no matter how long I lived. It was a confusing thing to want even to myself it didn't seem logical but in my heart any other way felt wrong.

He shook his head. "You will always heal but you can still be killed if the injury is severe enough. I think you will be stronger but your will did not allow for any more changes" There was a frown in his voice but my eyes weren't on him. They were on the impending whiteness. Finally Niall turned my face to his.

"I love you" He said. "It was a joy to have known your face" I was touched and was at a total loss of words. He smiled brightly. Then he kissed both my cheeks and my head. He held me firm with eyes closed and pressed his fore ahead to mine until there was a blinding flash of light and again I fell into darkness. Would it kill him to give a little warning?

The sun was on my face. I knew I was in my body again. I knew I had to ability to move but I didn't open my eyes. There was a light breeze. It was humid and it told me I was in the right place. I was wearing a soft cotton shirt dress I thought. Having squeezed two human beings out of my body I was expecting pain but there wasn't any. And if I had been expecting super hearing or any other sort of powers I would have been disappointed. In fact my senses had dulled compared to when I was pregnant. I did know people were in the room with me. One was a vampire and the other was fairy.

"I think she is awake" It sounded like Dermot. I felt him hovering over my face.

"Uncle Dermot if you slap me you are going to have a fight on your hands" I opened my eyes to him grinning over me. He snatched me up by the shoulders and pulled me to his chest.

"Where are they?" I asked him while still caught in his embrace. Over his shoulder I could see Eráh was seated in the chair watching us with a smile on her face. The Kovalls were full of surprises the biggest for me right now was seeing Eráh setting down a book titled: **Binary Code For Dummies**. It wasn't so strange when you take into account that she has been talking to Bill a lot.

"They were with him from dawn until eight this morning" I looked at Dermot and hugged him again in thanks. "Now they are with my Atan and Téyo" I nodded and began getting out of bed.

The thin covers over me had fallen away and both Eráh and Dermot were staring. I looked down and saw that my body was indeed like it was before I got pregnant. I looked at my hands and touched my face. It was silly but I expecting something to have changed but nothing had.

I got to my feet slowly testing the strength of my legs.

"I will let Claude know you have awoken he should look at you" Dermot said. His hands were hovering at his sides as if he were expecting me to fall. I shook my head at his suggestion. I felt perfect.

"I want to see them" I stood and stretched. I smiled thinking of my son.

Barefoot and happy I ran through the house and out the door. I was so high off the prospect of seeing my children that I didn't register the complex was crawling with fairies. I slipped quietly into the house weary of waking the babies if they were asleep.

Cohan appeared at the foot of the stairs to save me some looking. He smiled brightly and held his hand out. I took it and we walked up the stairs together.

"How are they?" I asked.

"Happy and healthy" He said with a smile. "Your daughter has a strong personality already" I smiled. We didn't go to the top where the nursery was. He led me to one of the light tight guest rooms. I had expected my children to me immune to the sun but I guess in that respect they were more vampire than human. Eric would be happy. This way we could both share them. Their father wouldn't miss out on too many moments because of the sun.

I opened the door holding my breath. The room was brightly lit but the light tight shades were drawn. I could see my son's face over Atéyo's shoulder. His eyes were ardent and they zeroed right in on me when I came in. His sister was in a cradle next to the bed and she asleep. Nothing could describe what I was feeling it made want to laugh and cry and scream and dance.

"Hi, Baby" I whispered. Like an absolute lunatic I held my hands out to him. Atéyo walked and handed him to me. I wrapped my arms around him and held him tight. "I missed you" His head was on my chest and I could feel the difference in our body temperatures. He was lukewarm. He was breathing at a leisurely pace.

By the time I had gotten comfortable on the bed with them on me I realized both Cohan and Atéyo had gone. I wanted to thank them for all they had done but I was glad they let me have the moment. When my daughter woke up I held her and she rubbed her face on my chest with her mouth open. Assuming she wanted to be nursed I arranged her brother across my lap and tried. She latched on and suckled. I was thrilled that I was still able to nurse them. I didn't think I would have been able to because my body felt normal I wasn't even bleeding. I stroked my daughter's head and caressed her tiny fingers as she ate. She looked up at me with the same color eyes as her father. She didn't stay awake long but for the few minutes I looked in her eyes I felt she knew who I was and it warmed my heart.

There was a knock at the door a while later. I had no idea how much time had passed. "Come in" I threw a small blanket over my shoulder to shield myself and the child I was nursing. It was Cohan.

"If you wanted to test their immunity to sunlight twilight is the safest time" I looked towards the window. It never occurred to me that they had been kept in here as a precaution instead of a necessity. I wasn't sure I wanted to test the theory.

"I don't want to chance it in case they're not" I told him.

"This time of day it will irritate more than harm" He looked at the way I was shrinking from the window and added "But it is not necessary to do this" I shook my head. I was being ridiculous. It would be best to know. He came and helped me out of bed.

I walked into the hallway. It was dark but at the end of it I could see strips of light. I crept forward and unwrapped my son's leg from the blanket. I extended his foot forward so the tips of his toes were exposed. I pulled back and examined it. His skin was almost translucent any sign of damage would be easy to see. There wasn't any. I removed the blanket from his face. He was looking at me intently but there was no evidence of discomfort on his face.

"I know mommy's being crazy" I told him. To be sure I exposed his leg and kept it exposed for a few seconds longer. Slowly I moved closer into the light and removed the blanket. He turned his head from my nipple and looked out the window with me.

"Pretty isn't it" I murmured to him.

"He's fine" I called down the hall to Cohan. He appeared next to me with my daughter in arms. She blinked against the glare of the falling sun and turned her face away. She was uninterested. Cohan smiled.

"Thank you" I said to him. I don't know how I would have gotten through child birth with my sanity intact if not for him being able to take away the pain. He and his son had also cared for my children while I was wherever I had been and Eric was dead for the day. He waved me away as if those things had been expected of him. He did that a lot and it threw me off.

In the fifteen minutes before first dark I had laid my children down to sleep; groomed; showered and dressed. It felt great to have my body back. I was vain enough to have been worried about that while I was pregnant. For no other reason that celebrating the birth of my children I applied a little make up and selected something that pretty to wear.

The emotions that coursed through me as Eric woke were dizzying. He came into the bedroom and walked slowly towards me. There was a look of skepticism on his face. He held my face in his hands and just looked at me.

I smiled. "Are you going to kiss me or what?" He picked me up and held me to him. My legs went around his waist. His head was buried in my shoulder and I felt his lips moving as he whispered to me but I couldn't understand a thing. His grip was almost painful but I welcomed it. I just relished the feeling of having my body close to his. Nothing felt right unless I was with him. Eric kissed his way to my lips. He kissed me until I was out of breath but he still didn't break contact with my skin. We lay in bed and just held each other.

"What happened to you?" He asked. I told him everything.

"I'm supposed to be stronger but I don't feel any different I guess I'm still me just long lasting." I concluded.

"This makes you happy?" He asked. I knew he was happy and trying to control it in case I felt the opposite.

"Yup, you're stuck with me" I said cheerfully. He laughed. Unlike me Eric wasn't at a loss when I explained Niall had nothing to do with the two little vampires down the hall.

"Cohan fathered both Atéyo and Demetrius" He told me.

"How did that happen?" The thought had occurred to me that I couldn't be the first. I was hoping maybe they could provide an answer that Niall couldn't.

"It was very common a long time ago. They cannot sat with absolute certainty why it stopped"

I would think more on that later. "What are we naming our children?" I asked him.

"I have already named our son Alrick" He told me proudly.

"What does it mean?" I asked him.

"Peaceful" He thought I would approve and I did. I had been with the both of them since I woke up. I had gotten that vibe from Alrick he was mellow. He struck me as a go with the flow king of person already.

"I think I know what I will name his sister I just have to check something first" He nodded.

"I will bring them to meet the other vampires here" Eric told me. He was getting dressed.

"Why?" I asked feeling nervous.

"They want to see them and it is important for the vampires of our state to be familiar with them" I saw something like that once on the discovery channel. Before a female lion gives birth she leaves her pride of lions. When her cubs are a few months old she brings them to meet her pride. They had to pass a sniff test and it didn't always go well. That was all I could imagine.

"They will be fine" Eric said. "Also we need to meet with the fairies their reinforcements have arrived" I nodded. Not liking one of those things more than the other.

0o0o0o0

I for one had missed SPOV. But honestly there hasn't been much going on for her until now. I want to make a vote. Who do you guys want to hear from next? Because I am absolute nutcase I have written the next chapter from both. I'm just not sure.

Rules of the game Yuyu Northman your vote counts double!


	32. Chapter 32 through 35

Um...Hi again so this is kind of awkward for me after being gone so long. To all you have been waiting I wanted to say sorry. I didn't abandon you or the story but I have been wrestling with writers block and I have also been slacking in the summer sun. I apologize but I do not do so empty handed There are four chapters below. I know I said I wouldn't do monster postings but in this case I feel it is not only expected but deserved. So don't kick me to the curb (Baby I can change!) :D

Dedications for the chapters below goes to two people. They offered ideas and acted as excellent sounding boards. They also gave me a swift kick in the hynie!

A round of applause and a big hoorah for **ATHENAIE** and **LOFTIN** without whom the corresponding chapters may not have happened.

With out Futher adieu DIG IN!**  
**

**Eric**

**Chapter Thirty-Two**

**An Interlude**

My elder children were down stairs awaiting Sookie. When she came into view the look on their face indicated they were expecting one thing but seeing the total opposite. I shared their disbelief. At this time yesterday she was very heavy with child but here she was exactly as she had been. Her breasts were more bountiful; drawing her figure out and making her appear even more voluptuous. The dress she wore was one to display her strong, shapely legs.

Gideon was the first to regain his composure. He pulled Sookie into a tight embraced and lifted her off the floor. "Congrats mom" Sookie laughed.

"Thank you" She said returning his embrace.

Tristan was next. He took both Sookie's hands in his own "You are a warrior of that I have no doubt" He kissed both her cheeks. She smiled in thanks.

"Hey Pam" Sookie greeted. Pam did not respond she was still looking in a kind of bland interest; trying to make sense of her drastic change as well as annoy her. "Shit hello to me too" Sookie said indignantly but she smiled and wrapped her arms around Pam anyway. Over her shoulder Pam smiled at me.

"It is good to have you back" My child said simply. I shared the sentiment. My wife's emotions had been completely capricious throughout her pregnancy. She was back to her stubborn; combative and confrontational self. Though I never thought I would miss it I had.

Tristan and Gideon went up to the Nursery to have a look at the newest additions to our ranks.

"I'm going to see Dermot really quick. I'll be right back if they wake up call me" I nodded. She kissed me and left the house.

"Freyda is on her way" Pam told me looking up from her handheld. "Don't have an exact time"

That was good and bad news. I had been hoping she would come but I knew it would not be easy dealing with her. Freyda's kingdom was strong and even half her forces would make an immense impact in a fight. I could not turn her away in dire times. On the other hand I think my refusal of her sparked an interest that was deeper than my physical beauty and power. The situation was not one I wanted to deal with at the moment.

"Elintaria" Sookie told us when she returned. It was to be pronounced (El-len-Tar-riya) I had assumed Sookie would have chosen a modern name; something of her time; something that didn't proclaim our child was a fairy but I found the name to be seemly of my daughter. It hinted at something that was old and beautiful but it was also as willful as it was powerful.

Pam was less accepting in her dislike of the choice of names. "What the hell kind of name is that for a child of my master?" She asked in open revulsion "For any child really"

"It's pretty" My wife defended "It's fairy for the never fading star and I like it. Plus we can call her Ellen for short" I knew then there was nothing to free my daughter of that enormity of a name. It was of great sentiment to her mother and so she would now carry that lifelong affliction.

"She is not going to forgive you for that" Pam said gravely.

"It brings me to my next point" Sookie began. She was seated in a chair under my arm with her eyes on Pam "I want you to be her Godmother"

"It needs to be a fairy does it not" Upstairs I heard Gideon laugh. Sookie shook her head.

"No, a god mother can be anyone that I choose for her" Pam became very curious. She asked about the exact specifications and limitations of the title. Sookie explained all that she could and in the end Pam was disappointed.

"She is my blood. Those are things I must do" Pam said.

"It isn't about duty" Sookie said in exasperation "It's about a choice you make freely to want to be there for her"

To us there was really no difference. You performed your duties until you loved them or until you stopped hating them.

"You can he things that I can't" my wife added. Pam thought about this and nodded. It did not avoid my notice that Sookie did not tell her that God parents came in pairs. Dermot was our daughter's godfather. I was not sure how Pam would feel about it but I knew the fairy would be less than thrilled.

The time came for us to go and I got the distinct feeling my wife was stalling. She tried everything and insisted we go on ahead but we waited for her. There was nothing else to stave the inevitable but she made one last attempt.

"Eric" There was uncertainty in her blue eyes. They were holding mine; pleading with me "I don't want to do this" She moved her gaze to where Alrick was seated in Tristan's arms. She had our daughter cradled protectively against her chest.

"As far we know this should not be possible" I inclined my head towards our son. "It is important to us vampires" I said gently. I knew I could not be forceful in getting her to do this. Her instinct to protect them would flare and it would become impossible to get her to comply. "Trust me no one would dare. I would not do this if I thought it were unsafe for them" She was looking around the room desperately for someone to help her in this argument but no one did. Having nothing else to say she remained quiet with anxiety humming from her every hair.

The choice of the second parental unit for my son had already been made I felt my pairing was ideal and would work him optimally.

Sookie froze when she saw Alrick's godmother.

"_**Are you fucking kidding me!" **_Her mental pitch was between incredulity and alarm.

I had chosen Thalia and Anthony. Thalia has been with me for many years. While she was cantankerous and ill-tempered at the best of times her loyalty was unquestionable. I have witnessed her fighting ability first hand. She will be a perfect body guard. Where Anthony was nurturing and loving she would be vicious in upholding her duties to Alrick.

"_**You made your selections and I made mine" **_I replied taking Sookie's hand.

Thalia regarded my son inquisitively. First she stared at him from a distance until Anthony offered him to her to hold. She came closer but did not hold him. In all truthfulness I did not think children had ever been a part of her life and if they had it has been too long ago for her to remember. With the outmost care she let her fingers graze Alrick's cheek. Her touch was lighter than a feather. It was not to indicate affection but to check his temperature. Then she brought his wrist to her nose in an attempt to better register his scent and feel his pulse.

Beside me Sookie whimpered in terror. Unconsciously she drifted forward with her hands out as if she wanted to steal Alrick back to her chest and run. I held her where she was. Her eyes turned to me and there was panic and defiance in them. I held her tighter. Thalia was absorbed with Alrick and did not notice his mother's panic.

"See" I said gesturing to our son. He had taken a hold of Thalia's finger and she let him keep it. She appeared to be in assessing something in him but awe was plain on her features. With Thalia this was an excellent start. "He's fine" I told Sookie.

"He is strong Eric" Thalia said when Alrick released her finger. She took his hand and gently placed it back under the blanket. I nodded. Sookie made no response and her eyes were on our son. Her heart was beating in a ragged rhythm. This night was going to be impossible for her.

Dermot held Aria and ignored Pam almost completely except when he glared at her without provocation. They walked in front of us but behind Gideon and Tristan.

This was Pam's idea. I was not entirely forthcoming in the purpose of our children having to be shown to the rest of the vampires here. Our people would be introduced to our children true; but it was somewhat of a celebration. It would assuage my child's disappointment of not being able to have an actual baby shower no matter how much Sookie insisted she didn't care for one. The children came early and even that wasn't a big enough deterrent. Pam would not hear of it. Once she got Cohan's backing there was no stopping her.

We used the back entrance of the business house. It had been transformed. There was an immense fire in a pit in the middle of the back yard. Since we would all be sitting on the floor anyway because of Cohan there were over stuffed pillows in all shapes and sizes strewn around the fire. Decorations of gold and red had been put up and there was a table to the far side of the gathering that was already over flowing with gifts.

"It's a party" Sookie said sounding bemused. I smiled and kissed the side of her head.

"Technically it's supposed to be a baby shower" I replied.

There were some fairies and even a few werewolves and shifters present. I recognized a few; the most surprising were Alexis of the saber tooth tigers in Nevada. The other shocking face was Freyda. The small murmurs of conversation fell silent as my children came into view with their pair of godparents. Cohan came forward with a beatific smile on his face. He was wearing a cream and gold tunic over black tights. His hair was once again pulled high atop his head with a golden headdress. He looked festive and excited. I wondered if these were the only kinds of things that gave him any sense of pleasure in this world; babies and weddings.

"I give you Prince Alrick and Princess Elintaria son and daughter of King Eric and queen Sookie of Louisiana" He said beaming at my children. Applause sounded through the night. The vampires of my state were the most audible "Entrusted with the young prince are Thalia and young Cohan" There were more applauses and both Anthony and Thalia nodded to the people gathered. "Dermot Brigant of the sky fairies and Pamela Ravenscroft vampire queen of Alabama will watch over Elintaria"

I was awaiting looks of restrained anger or contempt as Dermot was named for Aria. I saw none. The closest I saw was envy and the majority of which came from Isaiah and Russell.

Sookie and I settled as our children we passed around. Like Thalia many vampires never handled an infant or had long forgotten how. They were content to have someone else do it. They merely came close enough to register the lazy rhythm of the children's breaths and the significantly cooler temperature of their blood. They made many comments about their scent in comparison to that of their mother and my own.

Sookie had been engaged in conversation by several vampires of our state who had not seen her for many days; Bubba and Edgar mainly even Bill was being surprisingly appropriate. She exchanged pleasantries and accepted their good wishes but her eyes never left our children for more than a few seconds at a time. Her anxiety had not flared but it had not dwindled either. She twitched any time the children changed hands.

It did not avoid my notice that Freyda watched my wife with burning intensity. I would say she knew every word Sookie said since she sat down. Sookie however was oblivious to this. She knew nothing about the happenings between my maker and Freyda and so she had no reason to pay her any amount of attention. This seemed to further torment Freyda but she swallowed it with grace that was becoming of a ruler of her stature.

I was at ease. Both children were shadowed by those who had taken the duty to guard them in our absence. All of the vampires that were of our state did as Thalia had done. Heidi as well it was especially crucial for her to do so. She was the best tracker I had. She was immediately enamored with Alrick and shadowed his shadows most of the night just to stare into his face. For the first time in many months her face no longer held the angry lines of grief.

Alrick was in the arms of Gideon. His face was impassive but attentive. He did not seem to care for all the attention he was receiving. His sister was the opposite as I was beginning to suspect would be the norm for them. Aria was carousing in the attention she was received. She smiled on cue and held fingers of those who offered them. At the moment she was in front of Stan. He was attempting to use the hold she had on his finger to lift her from Dermot's arms.

"Oh God" Sookie breathed in horror. She buried her face in her hands and was tapping her foot nervously. I laughed and rubbed her back to soothe her. Dermot explained to Stan that while Aria was strong she was not yet that strong. Stan smiled and stated that he forgot but he insisted on holding her and so Dermot showed him how.

"You can look now" I said nudging my wife playfully. Slowly she lifted her head and saw that Aria was seated safely in Stan's arms with Dermot seated next him and almost touching him. The image was amusing: a vampire and a fairy and a half human and half vampire child.

I looked and saw that similar images of all species consorting were all around us. The lines between one kingdom and another were almost dissolved. The separations between species were blurring. Within these walls we were bound against a common enemy and within these walls our bonds to one another were fortified. Our world was changing and though the cost was high and we were not finished paying it, it would be worth it. I knew that now.

Because I had been watching her since we arrived I noticed when Freyda began making her way for my wife and me.

"My deepest congratulations" She said with a deep nod of her head. Coming from a queen of her standing it was a gesture of deep respect. I returned it but I was the only one. Her eyes were on Sookie who appeared to be ignoring her. I knew that wasn't the case. She simply did not hear. Having to make polite conversation and keeping an ever vigilant eye on our children was taking a lot of her concentration.

"Lover" I said squeezing my wife's hand. "Meet Freyda the queen of Oklahoma" Sookie turned and smiled knowing she had been caught completely unaware.

"It is very nice to meet you" she said giving her a respectful nod of her head. Freyda stopped then started it was a hesitation so slight I thought I may have imagined it.

"I have heard many great things about you but I see your beauty was understated" said Freyda with a small smile. Her words had been outwardly genial and complementary her eyes held something else in their depths. Sookie had been around enough vampires to know when there was something else to their words.

"Thank you" My wife said. "Please excuse me" She said getting to her feet.

Thalia looked in danger of causing excessive bodily harm to Rasul who had made a noise that was meant to amuse my son but it startled him instead and he was crying and turning his head into Gideon's chest. "I'll be right back" Sookie kissed me quickly on the cheek and left my side to mediate the situation.

Freyda glided down gracefully to the unoccupied seat next the one my wife had vacated. It was not clear what time she was from but we were both from what is now known as the Scandinavian countries. I could not say which one with absolute certainty. She was a tall woman; built to draw the eyes of all. She like me was fair. The paleness of her skin accentuated her features with hair that was lighter than my own and eyes that were a much darker blue, she was striking.

"She is lovely" Freyda said she sounding almost disappointed.

"Thank you. When did you arrive?"

"Word came to me that the saber tooth's were coming" She inclined her head to Alexis and another male that resembled her and two others. "I told the female I sought the refuge of your state and she swore me safe passage" I nodded. Saber tooth's were like fairies in that sense. A saber tooth tiger never broke its word they were not bound by magic like I assumed fairies were but under pain of death.

It was a heady thing Alexis had done for her. I knew she did not do that for me. She did that for Sookie thinking Freyda was a friend of hers. It was a very small frame of time but Alexis favored my wife greatly. They met several many months ago when I was summoned to Las Vegas under the orders of De Castro. Sookie had done her a service. The last known contact the two had was during the were summit. Quinn was present and had brought Alexis. He had saved my wife's life and Alexis had saved them both. I looked now but saw no sign of Quinn it made me uneasy. He had a clink in his armor and we all knew what that was. I wondered about the odds of it being used against him now it did not seem likely but I would look into it. I returned to conversation at hand.

"So few have come" I said. Freyda nodded with her eyes on the fire. "Was it only you who got the messengers" She shook her head but said no more on the matter.

"I was slighted that did not come to me but now I can see why" She said with a coquettish smile.

"Do tell" My tone was bored. I was reclined on the pillow with my eyes following people at random. The attempt to keep the conversation on pertinent paths had failed. Where I being honest I knew this was inevitable. There was no way I could get her to come and avoid her unwanted interest.

"It is obvious" She said her eyes were following Sookie who had Alexis in an embrace. They were talking in excited tones though what they said was lost to me "People; creatures of all walks; they love her" again there was an air of wistfulness in her tone.

Freyda was beautiful and terrifying. The hold she maintained on her subjects was light tight. One did not make many friends that way. "They are drawn to her like flies to honey for this reason she has made powerful allies even in the unlikeliest of places" Her eyes went to the Koválls. "Such a thing is indispensible" I smiled and said nothing.

There was no logical way that I should not want Freyda. She was desired by very many and so my refusal of her had to be based on the fact that Sookie somehow held a different; more prized advantage. Her analysis was obtuse but I did not correct it for it was derived from her inability to see past her own reflection and no good would come of attacking her ego so I let it go.

Aríndia danced past us with a gleeful smile on her face and her arms around her father. She smiled at me and I returned it. She was a happy child. It was all that I would want for my daughter; to be loved and happy.

"It is strange that after all that we have seen; through the merciless gales we have weathered" Freyda gestured in a regal manner across the circle of creatures that were gathered around the fire. "This is what we now fight to preserve" There was nothing in her tone to indicate bitterness or hostility. She was stating an unlikely truth.

I replied immediately. There was no hesitation because I have given that same point hours of thought. With all that I was I believed what I told her to be true. "The truths we hold as a people has to be re written to ensure our survival and our survival involves all who are here"

For a long moment she was silent and still beside me. "We would have been a mighty coupling" She said. There was an air of something so raw and genuine in her voice it disarmed me. I had expected her to subtly display whatever negative feelings she had because of my rebuff but she sounded sincere and resigned.

So I answered her honesty with honesty of my own. "Indisputably" I said looking at her directly since she sat down "But neither of us got to choose this life of endless nights and infinite lifetimes. In fact as vampires we have less choice than the mortals we have branded and scorned as cattle." I told her something that I have known to be true but never acknowledged. "Perhaps that is why we scorn them. They live life and we simply exist. As vampires we are given options but seldom do we have choices for everything we do is a matter of survival" My eyes danced from Tristan to Pam then to Gideon and ended on Sookie and my youngest children. "I strayed from what options I was given for her and I suffered greatly; we both did but I would place myself in her path a thousand times in a thousand different lifetimes and do it all again" As if she felt my gaze or sensed the shift in my emotions Sookie turned around and smiled.

"She is lucky" Freyda said in defeat.

I shook my head. "No, I am"

**Eric**

**Chapter Thirty-Three**

**Facing Fate**

The royals with the exception of the Koválls did not stay long. We slipped into the house to discuss and gain whatever insight Freyda and the other new comers had to offer. Sookie brought the children back to the house and Dermot sat with them. When she returned things were not at all going well. Freyda had two of her personal guards with her Callie and Felix. They were eyeing the four fairies that were present with pure loathing. Lyra, Iain, Dillon and Leland returned the sentiments. The remaining vampires stood on the sidelines the saber tooth tigers stood away from it all.

"These are not the numbers we were expecting" Dillon said in calm tone.

"What nerve" Felix spat through exposed fangs. "You barely have two dozen fighters"

"You would sit on the sidelines and have us fight your battles" Callie added.

"This is all our battle" Lyra interjected. "A rouge vampire is your charge"

We were looking at Freyda to call off her dogs but she didn't. It was my guess that she shared their concerns or she simply wanted to test the resolve of the fairies to see if they would bow under a loud bark.

Sookie entered and looked between where I was and where Dillon and the fairies were she went to stand with them.

"This shouting match isn't getting us anywhere" She said to both parties.

"They forget their place" Freyda said coolly.

"So do you" My wife said. Silence fell over the room and it was deafening. Many pairs of eyes came to me and I ignored them. Sookie was a queen and she could act how she felt was in her right. My duty would be to back her if her will was contested.

"Perhaps but I know your place is by your husband and our kind" Freyda said there was a sharp calm in her words. I really wished she had not said that. No one told this stubborn wife of mine what to do and absolutely no one dictated her place to her. Sookie's moved her eyes to her and I knew that look.

"Have you taken a look around? Death is waiting for all of us regardless of species" She moved her gaze from Freyda to her guards including them in her terse reply "Your place or mine won't matter when we are all finally dead" Her eyes moved to the fairies. I felt she was being fair. Not knowing who or what started the confrontation she was not siding with anyone "That's exactly what's going to happen if you all don't cut the shit and get down to business; all of you" Both groups regarded one another for a long intense minute until Stan spoke to break it.

"I do not understand why only you have come Freyda" After all it was Stan that wanted to send them a warning in time to prevent their demise and in the hopes that they too would stand with us to better our odds. It was disappointing that out of all the states in his territory only she came. "What of Amora, Oscar…" Stan continued. Freyda shook her head to cut off his listings of the other royals from his territory.

"We all got the messengers, we met and the consensus was clear" She looked away as she ushered their decision. "Flee"

Stan looked beyond words. It has been his idea to issue them a warning. He had assured us that his territory held warriors and they would come. He like Freyda looked ashamed. It would shame me. The states within Amun stood together while those within hers cut out and ran; shameful indeed.

"They dismantled the chain of command and scattered to the four winds to wait this out" Freyda continued "A selected few from all the states wanted to fight and so they came with me"

"Fine" Stan said calmly. "I want it to be clear that if we survive this they should not get their states back" We all nodded they would be lucky not to be branded as traitors of their race.

"Why did one your females bring an infant?" Bertrand asked Lyra. Sookie who had long since come to seat beside me looked horror struck.

"It matters not" Iain said. "If we fail the only detail is on what plain my child will be killed. Her mother chose this one" Iain said with a shrug. Lyra tried to look impassive but her jaw clenched. The same was true for her child as well.

Without an iota of doubt I knew they were hiding something. There was a compulsion that forced you to think of your own wellbeing second. This same compulsion would have you lie, cheat steal and sacrifice anything to protect the life of something so helpless. Having discovered this for myself I knew there was no possible way they had accepted death for their children. It was something I would address privately with them. If it would not endanger anyone here then their plan was their own. I would even offer them aid.

"Can you handle the elves?" Pam asked.

The fairies all shook their head cohesively. That was not good. Elves were weaker than fairies in terms of magical abilities but it was still more than vampires possessed. Having our kind face off against them would cause too much damage. Stan jumped right in and argued that point. We had more numbers but all that were here were not warriors so not all would go to war.

There was a main unit of fighters and then everyone else would be left behind for two reasons. If a head of state fell there was a clear concise successor back here to take their place and restore order as to avoid more chaos after all was said and done. Secondly in the event that we failed hopefully they would be enough to finish what we started.

After a half hour we had come up with nothing to solve the elf problem.

"Why not mix the teams?" Isaiah said finally. His idea was one of exasperation and he received scornful looks from everyone but the fairies and Pam, Sookie and I. It was obvious and so very perfect.

"It would be counterproductive to our people" Russell said gently, ready to bypass the idea.

"No" Lyra said. "The vampire called Cohan. He can make it not so" She was looking at me. I nodded to concur.

Everyone looked at us to explain but a demonstration would be better. Lyra stood and walked outside the barrier that barred the fairy essence. She came to our side of the table. There was a faint trace of fairy surrounding her because she had been seated amongst them but the dull scent that was now her own was evident under it. She was bold enough to give Russell her wrist. He pressed it against his nose and inhaled deeply.

"There goes one my pleasures in life" He said morosely dropping her arm as if it had suddenly lost all its appeal. He and Lyra shared a smile. It was not profound but it was still noticeable.

"It will serve as an offensive weapon" Lyra said. "Without out our scent we will have the element of surprise and we will be able to combine numbers to maximize our potential for victory" That was an excellent plan and it was better than anything else we had managed so far.

Leland was the fairy that led the fairies to this complex. He had his eyes fixed on Sookie. It was very evident he did not know her nor did he particularly care for her or enjoy having to speak to her directly. With those emotions being evident he was respectful so there was no reason to take offense. "You can shield" He asked openly. "What are your range and limitations?"

"It does not matter she is not fighting" I interrupted because he was under a misconception. "She is a non-entity" I could see in his eyes that he very much wanted to argue that point but the look on my face dared him to. He remained silent but his question led to the topic of offensive and defensive abilities. They had only had Leland to serve as a defensive weapon. His shields were better than that of Niall himself. It was a great contribution but it still wasn't as good as it could be but it was better than nothing and it gave us something to build from. Our defense would be built around him and offense would be built around Gideon. No matter what else happened those two had to be protected above all else during battle.

"I saw what he can do; the eldest son of Cohan" Iain began as the meeting was coming to a close. "I saw him command the water to his will" All eyes were on him. He was speaking of Atéyo but none of them were going to fight either. The vampires had already been made aware of this.

"They are not going to fight" Stan told him. He was no longer disconcerted by the idea I felt he had made his peace with it and was ready to confront our fate without Cohan with confidence. It was a confidence that inspired those around him.

"I am aware. He could show my brother how" Lyra said looking at me and my wife. "Iain is gifted; the spirit of the water is strong in him. He could anesthetize Nikko if he can learn but a fraction of this ability"

She had an excellent point. The fire bombs of the elf was not something we had an excellent solution to. Gideon had a friend that was a sniper that he would place around the battle field. He would put a bullet in Nikko and the closest of our people would finish him. It was good but if Nikko could shield or no one was able to kill him in time it was almost useless. The other option was better but while probable it relied on too many unknown variables. It may not even be worth pursuing.

They were both looking at Sookie it was no surprise that she was most favored by the Koválls. It was best for her to ask a favor of them.

"I think he will be more apt to help you ask him yourself" Sookie said. She has had more experience with him them than anyone person in this room Iain did not seem pleased with this idea but he nodded the discussion moved forward. By the end of it we had more certainty than we had in days. Our course was charted we now had to but the plans into motion.

Sookie went ahead of me to the house. I wanted to have words with both Alexis and the fairies. I caught up with Alexis first.

"It is curious to see you here without Quinn" She nodded.

"My brother Alex was almost killed when Vegas went down. When the demon doctor came she told us what was going on. Quinn took his mom and sister into hiding"

It was about time he took some preemptive measures to protect those he loved. I left her with instructions that she could rest here if she wish. But she was leaving to attend another summit of the two natured to see who would stand with them. It would be easier to have her ask for bodies. They were well respected amongst their kind.

On my way to the home of the fairies I came across Pam and Dermot.

"Will you never forgive me?" I heard Pam ask in a soft voice that was very unlike her.

"For what? As I remember you were doing a selfless deed for all the world by giving yourself to another so there is nothing to forgive" Dermot's words were clipped and laced with venom.

"I will leave him. When this is done I will leave him and be yours alone"

Pam had asked me if I would allow her return but I did not yet know that she had made a decision. Her offer did not appease the fairy. He tried to walk past her but she grabbed his arm. He swung at her and judging by the way his fist whooshed through the air it would have been enough to knock her unconscious.

"You are such an ass" Pam hissed moving out of the way at the last second. "I let you put my head through a wall that by the way cost…" Dermot scoffed in disbelief.

"Let me?" His voice was laced with contempt but it was less hostile than it had been a moment ago.

"Yes let you, you don't really think in a real fight that would have happened?" There was a smile and a challenge in her tone. Pam was not one to take a loss and for him to insinuate such a thing was worse than her broken heart. Dermot did not reply for a few minutes when he did his hostility was gone. In its place was an open wound that was still bleeding.

"I wanted to hate you but I couldn't. I wanted to kill you but I could not even bring myself to think it. Do you have any idea how annoying that is?" He shook his head in frustration.

"I was wrong" Pam said in a voice just as equally colored with hurt. "I see that now. I'm sorry I hurt you but I suffered too. Isn't that enough? I don't know what else to do to make you love me again"

"Say it again" Dermot said.

"What?" Pam asked confused.

"Say, I was wrong" He said. Pam smiled and shoved him but he took hold of her hand and threw her to the ground.

"The two of you have epitomized 'A torrid love affair' Now get a room" I heard Pam chuckle softly but the other noises told me they had already gotten started and had no intentions on getting a room. I left them. I was pleased to see that at least that was resolved. Her melancholy had troubled me.

The homes I had allotted the fairies were across the lake far from all the vampires. I walked at human speeds to announce my advance. I did not want to catch any of them unaware and rick harming them.

"I wish to speak with Lyra and Iain" I told the first fairy I came across. He was not really the first but the last to retreat at my approach. He did not turn his back to me which was wise. He skirted backwards and went to the right house to announce my request. I walked towards to water so the smell of it could minimize the haze of the delicious scent of fairy in the air.

"There is something you need?" Lyra said appearing behind me moments later.

"Tell me what you really intend to do with your daughter" I asked Iain knowing he was behind me as well. I also heard another heartbeat aside from his and Lyra's. "No bullshit" I added. They had probably intended to give me all the answers in the world except the one I required. "No parent would accept what you say you have" I turned and recognized the child's mother standing beside him. She was a minuscule woman with dark hair that fell to her hips. Her grey eyes were regarding me with hostility. "I just want to know that it will not endanger anyone here"

It was Iain who spoke "Claude knows of a woman who desperately wants a child but cannot bear any" He began and his sister finished for him as was their annoying habit.

"She will take both my Ronan and his Eithne. Dermot and Claude will give her all the monies they have to help provide for them. Then Bree will perform a spell that will make her believe she bore them both of her womb. She will love them and her love will protect them and blind them from all those who would do them harm" Lyra concluded.

I knew if my wife was here she would want to ask what would happen to the woman when and if they returned for their children. She would want to but she would not because she knew the answer. No matter what it cost that hapless woman we would have done the same in their shoes. I simply nodded and walked away.

I pushed all thought of all other things from my mind before I entered my home. Sookie was in the nursery and the house was empty of everyone but us and the children. She was in the rocking chair watching both children sleep. I stared at her and her emotions told me what she was thinking of. Their future was certain and so was hers but for many people here including me that was not the case.

The only thing I was sure of was that I had found her and my children a way through this. That was enough. We would fight and if we were lucky many would die and we would be victorious. She was aware of me but she did not turn. I went and sat by her feet resting my head on her knees. She placed her hand across my shoulder.

I wanted to talk about something that would make her happy because I had no reassurances to offer.

"I think Alrick looks more like you than Aria" I said. It was if those words were magic. I felt her sadness lift not completely but the difference was palpable.

"Aria" She asked. I shrugged it was the abbreviation to my daughter's name I preferred.

"He acts like you" I nodded. "His sister is like you; bossy and tries to intimidate me" she added. I laughed. We sat and talked of nothing but our children as they were now. Her first day with them was not as daunting as she feared. For someone who had declared she had no idea what she was doing she was taking to her role with ease.

"I will go shower" I stood.

She kept my hand as I stood. "I'll come with you"

I undressed her and she undressed me. She washed my body and I washed hers. It was a way to get reacquainted with one another.

"I want you" She whispered as I wrapped a towel around her body. I wanted to ask if she was sure. While I very much wanted her body I did not want to hurt her. She did not give me chance to voice my concerns. She pressed her body against mine and kissed me. I have missed her body in the carnal sense. We made love while she was pregnant but I restrained myself out of fear but I could not deny that my body wanted hers. I carried her to the bed.

I wanted to be gentle and take my time but she had other intentions. Her kisses were urgent and my wants bent to it. Sensing she wanted to be in control I lay back and let her have her way with me. It took all the control I had as she tasted me. Her mouth took me deeply and with a ravenous hunger. The more she gave the more I wanted.

"I…" My words were cut off by a throaty moan. She increased the pressure before I asked. "Yes" I groaned. The conflicting desire to throw her under me and ravage her combated with the indescribable lavishing her mouth was providing. I was in a frenzy and just when my control was going to break she mounted me. In a one single motion I was buried in her to the hilt. I growled low and deep. My hips bucked; my head swam as my mind was overtaken by nothing but the feel of her; her lips; her soft skin; the taste of her juices on my tongue. Her legs were wrapped around me holding me to her. With every thrust she held me tighter and moved with me allowing only the barest space between her body and mine.

I kissed and nuzzled her neck before driving my fangs in. My body had been yearning for her blood. It has been the first time in a long time that I have fed from her. Nothing or no one ever tasted as good as her. Her blood was sweeter and left me feeling immediately invigorated. I was close to halting my assault on her but now I wanted much more.

"I'm going to fuck you until you can't move" I whispered to her. I was still inside her and so I felt her body clench around at the decadent promise. Her response was to get on her hands and knees in front of me. With one hand I held her waist the way I wanted. My other hand was fisted in her hair. Her body was mine again and I wanted to claim it fully.

"Can you handle more?" I asked. She made an unintelligible noise of accent but it wasn't enough. I wanted her to beg. A slight shift in the angle I held her waist caused her to let out a sharp cry. "If you want more beg for it"

"Eric" She moaned. Her voice was a demanding purr "Baby please fuck me like that" When she worded it like that there was no way to refuse her. She begged me to stop but I knew she was simply overwhelmed by the depths of pleasure she was feeling. I didn't. Despite the total lack of restraint we used to enjoy one another I could feel how much she loved me. Hearing her moan the words in throngs of passion sent shivers down my spine.

I had her under me. Her nails dragged lightly down my arm and her love bites trailed my throat.

"Again" I ordered. I loved the feel of her teeth on my skin. "Harder" I punctuated the request with hiking her thigh higher and pushing deeper into her. She bit into me to muffle a scream but it was enough to break my skin. I pumped faster and harder. She continued to pull on the wound; moaning as she did so; savoring the taste of me. I was undone. I let out a shout and closed my eyes as uncontrollable tremors rocked through me.

**Sookie**

**Chapter Thirty-Four**

**No Rest For The Damned**

This morning when I woke the children were in bed with me. Ellen was arranged with her head on my arm and her brother was lying on my chest and my other arm was around him holding him to me. I must have completely passed out last night. There was a note on the pillow next to mine. It read:

Lover,

Your daughter insisted.

~E

I smiled and looked down at her. Her eyes were closed and she was sleeping peacefully. Her brother was looking up at me with big blue eyes that reminded of the stars in the night. They were deep and shone with intensity beyond his age. I stroked his face with my finger and smiled at him. He tried to grip my finger which I let him have. Then he put it in his mouth.

"Have you been waiting on me to feed you?" I asked him. In terms of personality he was mellow. He would wait patiently for his needs to be met. While Ellen would pitch a fit two seconds after her diaper got wet. I arranged myself and nursed him. I stayed in bed until his sister woke up and I fed too.

Two hours passed until I actually got out of bed. Both children were asleep again. In record time I showered; groomed and got dressed. I scarfed down the first thing I could throw together which happened to be a granola bar. Yes there were things monumental going on but house work wasn't going to tend to itself.

I was getting ready to attend to laundry when Dermot came to the door. Of all the fairies that were here he was the most blasé about walking around amongst vampires. It was a warning in and off itself not to let his deliciousness get to your head.

"Good morning" He said brightly. He was beaming and practically bouncing in place. I eyed him not knowing if I really wanted to know what made him so happy because the things that made him happy sometimes made my hair curl. "You are being rude" He chided happily as I was still deliberating. He crossed into the house and kissed my head.

"Hi uncle Dermot" Yes something was definitely up with him but I had things to do and only a short amount of time to do them. Damn being a good hostess we would have to walk and talk.

"I came to help you with whatever" He sang following me into the house. I would honestly think he had better things to do or more important people to hang out with now that half of Faery was on the grounds but here he was happy as a clam offering to give me a hand. Never look a gift horse in the mouth and all that but I couldn't resist asking.

"What's up with you?" I asked as I was clearing magazines from the coffee table of the sitting room. He had been whistling none stop.

"Why whatever do you mean?" He said grinning like the cat that ate the canary. It was infectious and I couldn't help but smile. There was something about his kind of lightheartedness that I loved. I think it was because it didn't stem from my discomfort.

"Fine" I said rolling my eyes. "Don't tell me but if you want to help could you fetch the vacuum" he nodded happily and bounded off after I pointed him in the right direction.

Thankfully vampires were not only the most stoic creatures they were neat as well. They could live in this house a hundred years and never wear out the rug. I guess I was cleaning more out of habit than necessity. I loaded the dishwasher; ran clothes to the washing machine; dusted and mopped while Dermot wrestled with the vacuum cleaner. He cursed it up one side and down the other.

With the help of my uncle the tasks didn't take nearly as long as I thought. So when we were finished I loaded the children in the stroller and Dermot and I went for a walk. I stopped at the Kováll house briefly to say hello. It was only Cohan and Aríndia that were awake. With so many new faces around the other his children were keeping more traditional vampire hours.

"Hello cousin" Ronan called.

"Hi Ronan" I said with a smile. "How are you?" He was playing with Aríndia and the imagery looked almost normal. Except his mother was seated next to Cohan playing a board game of some sort and Aríndia was chasing what looked like a puppy made out of sticks and leaves.

"I can't complain" He said taking off after Aríndia. I smiled at his proper use of a human idiom. For the most part Claude had only thought him threats and insults and curse words. Ronan loved to curse. He said, "It makes my lips tingle like spice"

Dermot and I moved on. We walked because I wanted the exercise even though my body would never change. The concept had no fully snuck in but it didn't keep me from making dates with little Debbie cinnamon rolls.

I found myself under an oak tree midway through the fairies abodes. Dermot fetched us some fruit and water. Claude showed up as well and helped himself even though no one invited him.

"You are lovely" My cousin said sounding so surprised it was insulting. He tucked a stray strand of hair from my face. I didn't have much time to do anything with my hair but his compliment had made him a welcomed guest. Was it vain? You bet ya but this was Claude we were talking about. I was sure that was the only compliment he had ever paid me. He was also one of the people that had not really spent time with my children. He dropped down to looked at my daughter and hasseled her as she slept. He moved her face this way and that. It was the same way Niall examined my face the day I got married. He was looking for something like a soft spot on fresh fruit. This time I had less patience for it.

"What are you looking for?" I asked. He used a cloth to shield his hands and freed her of the stroller restraints and held her to him.

"I want to see if my blood recognizes hers" He said. No way had I guessed that.

"Does it?" I asked out of morbid curiosity. He smiled and nodded.

Fairies walked by some said hello some didn't. While the amount of people here my mental shields were getting a work out every moment I was awake. In these numbers the silence that the vampire mind usually provided was not as silent if you know what I mean. Vampires sounded like void empty spaces in the air but with so many of them here the black hole that was their mind was heavier in the air and therefore was a distraction instead of a relief. Add the fairies and it was a big pain.

The three of us sat in an almost idyllic silence. The only other person I had ever been able to find this kind of peace with was Eric. When I was with them it was all feeling; no need to speak really. Since they had been here I had been spending a lot of time with my fairy kin. It was surprising but amongst other things I found their company encouraging. I admired them beyond good looks and power. They weren't letting something like the extermination of their species keep their spirits down. All the days I spent with them over the past weeks they seemed intent of enjoying the daylight hours while ignoring the pungent "sticky and sweet" aroma of vampire.

The more time I spent with them the more I could see what my great uncle Dermot had seen in Lyra. I never asked for the details but she was very pretty when she wasn't scowling; even more than that she was a sweet person. Her brother Iain however, made Claude look like a preacher on Easter Sunday but even he had his good moments like when he was frolicking about the grounds. It was the only way to describe it. What would you call a grown man splashing in a lake or holding hands and skipping with another…and in case I forgot to mention later they looked damn good doing it.

Having nothing else to do at the time I had also been practicing magical abilities with Dillon who was supposed to be teaching Ronan. He didn't mind another pupil in his class though he himself was no longer able to use magic. Like I suspected when he and Lyra sealed the portals into Faery to protect it from further invasion it took all their powers from them. Dillon described himself very colorfully to be "as a wretched as a lowly human". I told him I managed just fine without magic for the first twenty seven years of my life without it. He shuddered in horror and asked me if the stories Claude told about me were true. Goddammit. It was now official that Claude would tell my business for free to any fairy that would sit down long enough to hear it.

Even with the constant sympathetic comments about my calamitous life and disparaging looks it was worth being around Dillon. He had a better grasp of cloaking than his brother he was also a verbal educator. He spent hours talking to me about what it should fell like; what I should be focusing on when I attempted it. This tactic was new to me. The only magic lessons I had gotten came from Dermot. He was a more in your face "jump let's see what happens" kind of teacher. Dillon had a philosophical almost theoretical approach in truth no one style was better or worse but Dillon was less stressful and that's what I needed then. Even if I didn't do what I was attempting to do I was learning leaps and bounds about my abilities and their limitations as well as that part of my lineage.

I was on my way to wasting a beautiful afternoon in peace but I should have known Claude had a reason for coming over here.

"So you look better than before you squeezed out twins" He said. I sighed knowing what he was after so I told them about Niall and where I had been after I had given birth. I told them the truth but not all of it. They were listened intently and by the time I was finished they looked as astounded as I had felt about the whole thing.

"It is a great honor he conveyed upon you" Dermot said. He sounded not jealous but forlorn. "He really loved you a lot I think" I thought about that and smiled.

Since I met him I would not say I had felt loved by Niall but I felt he cared for me but after that encounter I knew it for sure. It had nothing to do with all that he had given me. I felt like I had earned his smiles and something deeper with him when we were in that strange middle plain. I loved him and I was glad to know he loved me too.

It was well past the afternoon when Leland Brigant came trolling by. He had an unavoidable presence to him. Given his last name I knew I was related to him somehow. It felt useless to ask how. I could safely make the deduction that he didn't like me. I didn't take it too personally because he didn't seem to like anyone. Leland was not very tall. I would say he was average height and build for a human man. He looked about twenty one but of course that was just a ball park figure he could be centuries older than that. His hair was light chestnut color and his eyes the same shade of hazel as Niall. You would be a fool to think there was warmth in them. There was an edge in there so sharp his human form could not conceal.

While the fairies and vampires discussed strategies and abilities on both sides last night he stuck close to Dillon like glue. He had only spoken to ask me about my shielding. I never got to answer because Eric said I was a nonentity. With all that being said it was a shock that he stopped in front of Dermot and me.

"Hello" He said looking at me. I returned his reluctant but polite greeting.

"Good afternoon" I said. I thought he wanted to speak to Dermot so I began to make my exit.

"Leland" My uncle called. I knew that tone and I stilled. "Leave her be" Dermot said in warning.

"I am becoming curious and confused with all the people that speak highly of her and those who speak for her. Does she not have a brain?" Leland said with his eyes on me. There was no sneer or note of distaste. Nothing about his demeanor or tone said he was trying to anger or insult me. It made it that much more infuriating and insulting.

"You have something to say to me" I said flatly. He nodded easily. "Spit it out, I don't have all goddamn day" Dermot let out a sigh. Claude shook his head derisively. They moved and took the stroller with him.

"I wish to test your shields" He said calmly. "I saw it in your eyes last night you will not do as your husband commands. You will never allow him go into battle without you"

I opened my mouth to say something indignant but closed it. I was left frowning from sheer annoyance. I didn't know him out of a hole in the wall but he knew something I was keeping from my husband. I wanted to argue with Eric last night when he just counted me out of the fight but I knew my husband. You just couldn't tell Eric anything. While that was true I was going to be there with him the day he faced Sophie-Anne no matter what he said.

Leland continued. "I was trained by the prince himself" Dermot made a noise that said big fucking whoop, but to me it was. "It is in you. I can make it stronger" He said.

"Leland, listen to me very carefully" Claude said and for once there was no hint of humor or his usual mirth. "Her husband will peel the flesh from you like a banana; then dunk you in lemon juice" I flinched knowing Eric could and would do just that.

Leland shrugged. "If we all survive this peril then he may do as he will. I am willing to suffer any fate for the survival of our people" he said that without as much as a bat of an eye. Even if he was not a fairy I would have known he was not bluffing.

"How will make me stronger in so little time?" I asked skeptically. There was no exact time limit yet but I knew it would be soon. They were going to Sophie-Anne instead of letting her come here. There was a higher likely hood of being caught off guard.

"Pain is the best and most expedient teacher. I will beat the ability into you" Leland said. I think where I not so shocked I would have flinched. I regarded him for a long tense moment. Not because I was trying to decide to take him up on the offer because my mind was already made but because I wanted to see of the prospect of beating me until I grasped a concept made him happy. I didn't think it did. He was just being matter of fact.

"Sookie do not do this" Dermot said from behind me.

"Like she has any sense" Claude mused darkly.

"Give me an hour" I said. I was proud my voice did not shake and I looked Leland square in the eye.

"Sia avell" Dermot growled it sounded like the mother of expletives.

I have been beaten up many times but never had I seen it coming and never had I agreed to it. I stood there letting the fact of what I agreed to settle in and it would have been a downer if not for the reasons behind it. On the upside I already had a firm idea on how to shield. It couldn't be that bad. Niall had made me a little stronger. It had to be in the spark form because I was still normal physically; I couldn't lift furniture over my head or anything of the sort but I could heal quickly. I hoped it was as fast as Niall said because it was going to get put to the test.

In the hour I had allotted myself I fed both children and settled them in the house with Claude. Dermot went with me. Leland was waiting. He stood in front of us with his shirt off and his hair was pulled into a ponytail with a white ribbon. He looked so beautiful in the sunlight; so beautiful and frightening. He wasted no time with warm ups or giving me direction.

"Make your shield as strong as you are able" He gave me less than five seconds to comply and then his hand shot out and struck me in the center of my chest. I went sailing back. Eventually gravity began to take effect again and I landed on my hands and knees a good thirty feet away. I was shielded but I still felt that. It was not pain but a whole of pressure.

Through my evaluation of self I saw Leland gliding in my direction. I wasn't sure if he was going to kick or punch me but I wasn't going stay on the ground to find out. I rolled as he got close and stood on my feet. He charged at me and knocked me to the ground-hard. I put my hands up as he brought his fists down. I don't know if it was adrenaline but I was seeing his hands clearer and I was moving fast enough to block every blow but the more he attacked the less effective my shields became. We were the same height so I brought my legs and placed some kicks to the back of his head. He flipped off the ground with a firm grip on my shoulders and tossed me high off the ground. Shit, again with this.

It was useless but I was thinking about how blue the sky was and the sweet breeze that was cooling the sweat off my face. I landed on my back this time. I bounced off the floor like a rock being skipped across a lake. I didn't have it in me to make a noise to indicate just how much pain I was in. My arms wrapped around my sides and I gave a few dry heaves. Blood had a salty rusty taste to it and it filled my mouth right now. I coughed it up and spat it out as I gasped for breath. One of my ribs fluttered under my hands as I heaved. I was seeing spots and specks of light that I knew I shouldn't. There was also a slight ringing in my ears.

My eyes closed and I realized I was healing. If I thought it would feel all warm and fuzzy I was wrong. It burned. It ranged from a warm tingle like a limb that had fallen asleep to a scorching fire burning away at the wounds; sealing it closed and knitting it together. I choked back sobs. I refused to let Leland see me cry. I refused but I couldn't help cursing as my ribcage seared under my hand. The damage to my rib was the most serious and it healed first. There had been a gash behind my head and cuts on my arm from the first fall and blows from Leland were fading those tingled as they quickly faded. My vision was no longer spotty and my breaths were coming easier.

Leland was still coming in my direction but Dermot was already in front of me.

"That is enough" Dermot barked at him.

"She will say when she has had enough" Leland said without halting his advance. I didn't think I had to call "Time out" it was very obvious I couldn't continue.

"Her shields have failed" Dermot said. I didn't need the news flash from him either. I had realized as much half way towards the ground. Nothing kept my body from fully absorbing all the impact from his launch of me in the air the second time around.

"No uncle it you who have failed her" I glanced at Leland. If Dermot was his uncle in the primary sense then he was my uncle too or he was my cousin. That was the upside. The downside my family tree had more holes than a moth ridden sweater. "Your meager training instilled false confidence that took seconds to shatter"

Dermot didn't answer but I saw his face was tight as he turned around to help me. I wanted to speak up for him and say he had thought me more than anyone else has but my head was still spinning so it wasn't really possible. I took his offered hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze instead. I didn't need all his support to right myself but it was nice to have.

Leland was now directly in front of us both. He hadn't a hair out of place. While I looked like hell warmed over.

"If that is the best you can do then I suggest you obey your husband. You will not do anyone any good in battle" Leland told me. There was no acid in his voice. He was just conveying a matter of fact statement in a matter of fact way; for which I had no reply.

I remembered when Dermot and I had initially begun training. He told me that I could hold against creatures that didn't use magic. When it came to using shields the longer I was under attack the weaker they became. I didn't last two minutes against Leland. It would be a point of encouragement if he was using his full strength but something told me he wasn't. I have fought against vampires and protected some people with my shields but against something Fae or magical it was a whole other story.

I thought about the time I unknowing rescued Ronan from elves at the hotel in Monroe. They would have tried their hands but I shielded myself. They didn't know what I did but they knew I did something that would make it challenge for them to take Ronan. Then I had thought I had the upper hand and that would have been nothing to walk away from but the only thing I had done was bluff my way out of a dangerous situation.

"Show me" I said in simmering dislike and dedication. Dermot growled obscenities under his breath but moved out of the way.

This time Leland gave me a guide before he beat the tar out of me. "Hit me" He said. I complied quicker than I would have ever thought possible but it didn't hurt him. I could feel something between us. Absorbing all the force I put into the kick.

"Do you feel that?" he asked. I nodded. "It is stronger than yours" Just couldn't resist adding that little tidbit of information could you? I tried not to look as bitter as I felt "But there is a gap in it as there are in all things. Find it" He gave me his hand with his palm up. I took Leland's hand to beginning searching and he continued to speak. "In battle you must be able to sense where the gap is and direct your attack there to quicken the kill"

I continued poking up his arm and I moved behind him. This looked strangely like one chimp checking another for bugs. I circled him twice until I found it. There was a tiny space behind his ear. I caught it because a cloud happened to cloud the sun and I saw that part of him was a little shiner that the rest.

"Your point of vulnerability is wider" He said tapping the blades of my shoulders and my tail bone to indicate just how wide a gate he had to get inside my defenses. It was not something I would have noticed and from the look on Dermot's face he didn't know it either. I have fought twice both times I had people watching my back even if anyone could see it they wouldn't have had easy access to it. "It is the same for all those you take under your shield. The more people you protect the wider that gap becomes"

I felt down right pathetic. It was a miracle I hadn't gotten anyone killed. "The fastest way to shrink it is to attack you repeatedly" He tapped the middle of my chest. "Your spark will endure and naturally bridge your defenses"

"How does that help the longevity of my shields?" I asked.

"The same" Clearly there was no way I was going to get around getting around the physical punishment.

"You may as well teach her how to fight instead of just pummeling her" Dermot said sounding very angry. Leland nodded.

"I came to this plane once to learn a fighting style from the Orientals it is what I will use" to beat the crap out of you. He didn't say it but that was what he meant. I wanted to ask him if he seriously came here to learn karate but I didn't get the chance. "Prepare yourself" I took a few steps back and pulled my shields back in place

"Block like this" he crossed his hands in an "X" at the wrists. That was all he gave me then he came at me. In this moment I realized just how much he had been holding back. He wasn't swinging wildly or grabbing at me. His blows were precise and packed a wallop.

"Watch my hands. Anticipate my movements" He said. I was backing away and blocking but I closed my eyes every time I blocked a blow. It was a knee jerk reaction. I had a lot less confidence this time around and it showed. I knew it wouldn't be right away but the pain would come. I blocked as best as I could but the times I didn't he made me pay. When I closed my eyes he made me pay. I caught a knee to the side that sent me crumpling to the floor and left me unable to speak or breathe. That was how the session went. He would beat me to a pulp then wait for me to heal and do it again. In the span of an hour and a half he had knocked me unconscious three times; broken my jaw; broke my arm three times; and snapped my spine.

**Eric**

**Chapter Thirty-Five**

**Destiny Awaits**

I woke to find Sookie was barely conscious. Both our children were in the bed with her but she was utterly spent. I crawled in bed with the three of them and kissed their heads.

"Sleep" I told her. "I will take them" I was running my hands through her hair. She shook her head with her eyes closed. I left when she was sound asleep and took the children with me. There was nothing that was of great importance that needed to be done. Anthony said we had a month. He saw us in the same woodlands where Sophie had attacked me. In a months' time under cover of a perfect crescent moon we would make our stand.  
Gideon would be in charge of constructing the actual teams. That would take him a few days. There were over a hundred creatures and he had to divide them in a way that was advantageous to us all. Then it would take time to get acquainted with one another.

Alrick was awake with his eyes seeming to search for his mother. I kissed his head.

"It is just us tonight my son" I said. He was lying on his back on my up drawn knees; his sister was across my chest. "Your mother is asleep" I stroked his cheek and he gurgled happily. "I don't suppose it gives you any ideas" He grabbed my finger and just held it in his tiny hand. I smiled.

After they had eaten I took them out with me with the help of Pam. The grounds had the usual amount of activity. There was a larger gathering of people at the lake. Curious we headed in that direction. Atéyo and Iain were in the water. I was pleased that Iain had taken no time in swallowing his pride and asking the prince himself for training. I wondered if our presence was a distraction but they seemed too immersed in their exercise.

My children were not the only ones there. Aríndia was seated between Cohan and Anthony. She was watching her father intently. Bree was closest to the edge of the water. Her eyes were fixed on her mate. Lyra sat with their daughter and was watching just as intently with her son Ronan by her side. The remaining people in the audience were vampires. They kept their distance because of the fairies.

"You are weary" Atéyo said wadding to Iain and patting his shoulder. Iain shook his head.

"Again" he said wiping his face. Atéyo gave him a sympathetic look but moved away. The water did not resist him as he strode through it. It moved with his body and guided him to his destination.

"On your mark" Atéyo said. Iain took several breaths and his body glowed showing his fairy form clearly then he nodded.

Three perfect spheres formed in the water and rose. They shot at Iain. He moved his hand to deflect the first but even I could tell that took effort a lot of effort. The second and third hit him consecutively and with so much force that he launched out of the water and went sailing in the air. I now saw why his mate has been so close to the water's edge. Bree disappeared from where she had been crouched and ready. She appeared directly behind Iain midair and caught him. She bared her sharp teeth at Atéyo and snarled from over Iain's body before turning to examine him, his body had lost its glow and he was groaning in pain.

"They have been at it since the day" Farrell of Texas said to me there was a connotation of pity in his voice. "The little one fixes him just for him to get back in the water to be broken again. I have lost count"

"Eleven" Freyda said sidling next to me. "At least since first dark" They were both eyeing the fairy with an air of respect. I did as well. He had a lot to lose and doing all in his power to defend it.

Cohan walked over to them. Iain's mate bared her teeth again and added a hiss for warning. She was brazen for someone so puny in form. Cohan put his hands up and stopped.

"I mean him no harm" He said in a soft voice. "I want to see the damage" He said. She nodded and moved her body from over his. Cohan placed his hands over Iain's heart and head. "He should stop" He said softly.

"I know that!" The female fairy shouted in frustration. "He won't listen!" I think where Iain not already in so much pain she would have struck him she looked so angry.

"This took my son many centuries to master. Reason would dictate you cannot achieve it in one night" Cohan said looking down at Iain. "Breaking your body will not change that fact" Iain shook his head. His mate growled at him and watched helplessly as he sat up; clearly deciding he hadn't had enough punishment.

Cohan smiled. "Why are fairies so stubborn?" He asked. Some vampire laughed and the fairies felt no need to be affronted by this because it was true. Sookie had very little fairy blood and she was impossible to dissuade or persuade when her mind was made up.

"It is where our strength lies" Iain said. Cohan smiled. He replaced his hands over Iain's heart and head.

"And so it does" said Cohan. He left them and returned to Aríndia and Anthony.

Iain stood. A minute later and entered the water. All the while his mate was cursing him from the side lines. As angry as she was she must be proud.

Iain took his breaths and his body glowed. He nodded to give his mark. The spheres rose out of the water like they had done before. Whatever Cohan had done to Iain not only fixed his body but revitalized him if not made him stronger. This time he did not deflect the barreling balls of water. He created a cone from the water around him. The spheres entered one end and exited the other; returning to their sender. Although they were no longer traveling at the same velocity they could have done damage. Atéyo did not seem to move but the orbs dissipated before they reached him. It was silent for a heartbeat then cheers broke out. Our most defensive weapon has been created. It now just had to be strengthened.

Cohan wanted to hold Alrick and so I let him. Pam was with Aria. I wondered away as the crowd around my children grew. There were more than enough pairs of eyes on them. As long as just one belonged to Anthony they would be fine. I found myself on the other side of the lake and I smelled Sookie's blood. My nostrils flared and I was troubled to say the least. The scent was indistinct; shadowy almost. Someone else would not have been able to detect it but it was inimitable to me no matter how little of it there was.

I walked on trying to find a trail but found none. Her scent hung against a tree where she may have sat but it was also heavier on the ground in certain areas. Perhaps she had a minor fall and injury while she had been out during the day but that didn't sound right. Then again had anything had transpired she would have told me. Before I returned to collect my children I looked up and saw the face of a fairy looking down at me from one of the surrounding houses.

Gideon was elusive for the next two days as expected. He was held up in his room forming what was to be ideal squadron of fighters. There wasn't a single advantage of disadvantage that he had not covered and compensated for. Alexis had almost three dozen two natured waiting and ready to go to battle with us. Amongst them were the shifter; Sam Merlotte and the pack master of Shreveport Alcide. More surprising was the arrival of the demons. Cataliades was a neutral in most conflicts but seeing this was not about the trivial he was choosing sides.

Each new addition caused Gideon to return to the drawing board. He did so eagerly because each new individual that arrived was much needed. It served to further infuse us with hope of victory. The squads that were fully assembled spent almost all their time together. All our lives depend on learning to move as a single unit; knowing your squad members tells; their limitations and strengths on an intimate level. On any given night you could see different teams sparring with one another. The vampires would give blood the weres to help them heal after particularly bad training sessions.

The day that I had been dreading came. Cohan was leaving and taking with him all his children. He would also take my wife and our children. I woke tonight to find Sookie on the bed with Aria and Alrick.

In the four weeks they have been alive my youngest children had almost doubled in size. They were able to sit up on their own volition and roll over if they wished. Their mother was seated with her back resting on the head board and they were seated between her legs. Last night while she slept I shut the pathway between us. Feeling her sadness and mine would serve no purpose.

There were no words between us. I loved how well we knew each other even without the blood bond. I crawled in bed with them. I lay with my head on her lap. Aria was absorbed with my wedding ring and her brother was lying quietly beside her. Sookie ran her fingers through my hair; her fingers would trace the contours of my face lightly but the intimacy was not lost. I leaned into her touch and kissed her hand. A hollow feeling in my chest forced its way up. I fought it back. This was what I was fighting for. I wanted to hold onto this moment as it was; I would not tarnish it with tears.

Gideon came to the door and he looked sad though I did not know why. "They're waiting" He said.

I dressed Aria in a Sweater and a hat knowing she hated them but it was cold out for this time of year. "You will look after your brother" I told her firmly. She looked deeply into my eyes and I felt the carefully locked chest where I buried emotions rattle. I held her to me and pulled in a deep breath that was heavy with her scent. Then I kissed her head and both cheeks and headed down stairs.

The entire house of Kovall was gathered in my sitting room. It was surprising to see Dermot, Lyra, Iain and Bree there too. The children that belonged to them were there as well. Ronan was huddled close to Aríndia but was holding firmly to his mother's hand bringing her closer to vampires than I was sure she was happy with but somewhere during her sentence here she had lost some of her aversion to the dead. She ignored the proximity with ease.

"I will take Eráh, Demetrius and Negy first" Cohan said. Demetrius and Eráh walked to their father. Negy was barely visible from her place in the corner of the room and she looked as anguished as I thought possible for a child of Kováll. They were all usually so jolly. She did not move. Cohan walked over to her and knelt in front of her with her face in his hands but she wouldn't look at him. He spoke to her in their tongue. First it sounded like words of comfort then his tone became firm. Still she would not look or speak to him. I knew that one refusal caused him pain.

"Negy please" Cohan said. "I am are here to aid them not rule them" There was no exasperation in his tone just desperation. Still she did not move. He looked around at all his other children for help but they stayed out of it. I thought there was something underlying in his tone whatever she wanted he was wavering and about to give into her demands. Cohan moved his gaze to Gideon and we all turned to stare at him too.

"It's okay" Gideon said walking over to Negy. My eyes widened a little. I knew they have spent time together but I never would have thought anything of it. "I'll be fine. This isn't my first rodeo" He said wrapping his arms around her.

"If you ask my Atan he will not deny you. You have but to utter the words" Negy said through tears. Her eyes were fixed on me. Cohan too looked at me expectantly. I knew he like us knew what Anthony had foresaw if he stepped into this battle. But I don't think he cared. He bent to the whim of his children and watching his youngest daughter cry distressed him greatly.

"I cannot" I said wishing I could.

She sobbed clinging to Gideon and her father reached his hand almost unconsciously then he withdrew it. He looked close to tears himself. "We've been over this" Gideon said stroking her hair from her face and wiping her tears. "I have to do this" She did not stop crying but let him lead her to her father. Who gave Gideon and a grateful nod. Gideon didn't see it once Negy was under her father's arm he turned and left the house. He had done the right thing but it didn't make it any less painful. No, righteousness had never been an anesthetic.

Cohan had one hand around Negy and Demetrius. Eráh had her arms wrapped around his waist. There was a shimmer and pull in the air that caused a surge of power to course through the room. We backed away. The three people in front of us vanished. Their forms lost its individual coloring then shape until there was nothing there. The rest of us were amazed but the remaining children of Kováll were unfazed.

Cohan returned less than a minute later. He took Atéyo; Aríndia; Ronan and Iain's daughter Eithne.

"Look after your cousin" Dermot told his son firmly. Ronan nodded. His eyes shone with unshed tears but he did not let them fall. He was being brave for the sake of his mother who was weeping silently. "You will do as you are told" His father added with a smile.

Ronan returned the smile and said, "Hell no" Dermot kissed him and walked him to Cohan.

Iain gripped Atéyo by his forearm in a handshake. "Thank you for all that you have done. In this life or the next I will repay you all that I owe" Bree stood stone faced beside him.

Atéyo patted his shoulder. "No. We were brothers once and we will be again" he said.

Iain nodded. "If we should fall…" He began.

"You have my word" Atéyo said solemnly. After their goodbyes they stepped away with Cohan and disappeared.

I handed Aria to Anthony and took my son from his mother. I kissed my son and turned to say good bye to her mother.

"This isn't goodbye" Sookie said cutting me off. "I'll see you later" Her eyes were clear and stubborn. I kissed her head.

"Yes, I'll see you later" I repeated with a smile.

I extended my hand out to Anthony. He was not surprised by the gesture. He smiled and took it. I returned his smile. I disliked him less than I should at this point.

When Cohan returned the last time I gave Alrick back to her mother and stepped away. I watched as what had become the unexpected reason for my existence vanished. I remained rooted to the spot for several minutes after they had gone absorbing the fact; absorbing the silence of my home; the cold of my bed. I welcomed those feelings. They filled me until the warrior I was surged to the surface and burned it all away.

The following night we gathered and marched out. In these numbers there was no way to travel without calling unwanted attention. So we moved on foot. Once we got to the place where we were supposed to be. We made other preparations. Iain spent a great part of the night funneling water from a nearby river and moving it to his man made ravines that were strategically placed though out what would be our battle field.

Barry had been off on an errand for Stan. He intercepted our path and brought with him arms that we ordered. For the most part they were all knives of silver and iron. There were also fire arms that were the preferred method for some people. Oliver was the sniper Gideon had to take out Nikko. He was human and he preferred his own. We left that plan in place just in case. If he got a clear shot while Nikko was distracted with Iain even better.

"Where is Sookie?" Barry asked looking around himself. I was ready to answer him when he said, "Oh there she is I was beginning to…"

The scent in the air was so very familiar it told me Barry was not wrong. There were murmurs of surprise across our group. I snarled in outrage and all fell silent.

I spun and saw my wife advancing. Immediately I was in front of her. I lifted her off the ground by her arms and shook her. "Why? Why for fuck sake do you never do as you are told?" I roared. "Do you have any idea what you have done?"

"Put me down" She said. There was no panic in her voice neither was she angry. Her voice was that of an individual attempting to deescalate a situation. I dropped her and ran my hands through my hair.

"You gave me your word." I hissed.

"I agreed because I was pregnant" She retorted. I growled at her. I was angry at Anthony as well. He must have seen what she had intended. Still he said nothing to me. From the look on Pam's face she had known all along or had guessed and kept it to herself. Where I being honest it should have occurred to me as well. After she had given birth I should have known she would want to do what was most dangerous to her wellbeing. We all knew how tenacious and bold my wife was. In this instance I was the last person to see it.

"No" I barked. "I will hold you to your words." I was shaking my head as if the action would make her disappear to a safer place. One of the fairies could use their means of travel to get her there. There was no way we could risk escorting her to the airport on the eve of battle.

"The only way I'm leaving is by force" She took a step back from me and assumed a fighting stance. I looked at her not really believing what I heard or saw. The expression on her face was set and her eyes were watching me intently. I walked towards her without changing my aggressive body posture to see if she would cower. She did not. Her feet remained planted firmly as she stood her ground.

Instead of continuing to advance on her I searched for the fairy I knew was behind this. I had no need to look for him because he glided calmly forward to meet his death. The day I smelled her blood on the ground by the lake they had been training. I knew I had not imagined it. It was him. His was probably the face I saw looking down at me. I returned to the same place I had smelled her blood the next night but it was gone and I never caught traces of it again after that first night. It put me at ease especially because she told me she fell. She lied. It was why she had been so exhausted every night. All this time she never had any intention of staying away from the fight. She had been preparing for it.

"You. Would. Dare" I spat at Leland.

I was furious and my fangs were fully exposed. His scent had been distorted by Cohan like all fairies but I needed no incentive to end him. I appeared in front of him and lifted him off the ground by his throat. He did not fight me but his eyes were defiant.

"You underestimate her power" He said. I squeezed harder to shut him up.

"Eric stop" Sookie said. Both her hands were gripping the hand I was using to choke the life from this treacherous vermin. "Don't hurt him" She begged. I turned my scowl at her. "Please for me" She would make requests of me after she had misled me and reneged on a promise. But she was my Sookie and so I dropped the fairy. He fell to the ground in a crumpled heap gasping for breath.

Having nothing else to do or say to this pigheaded wife of mine or the fairy that aided her insubordination I snarled long and hard in pure frustration then walked away.

They all cowered slightly at the noise but the damage was done we all knew it. Nothing I did now could undo the choice Sookie had made. There was no way to make her comply if truly she did not want to; and she truly did not want to; proving once again that she was the biggest hazard to her own health.

No one came after me; not even Sookie which was for the best. I was seething but I was also relieved somewhat. That sense of relief made me angrier. It was wrong I should not want her here.

"I'll say I'm sorry if you want but you'll know I don't mean it" Sookie had sought me out after a few hours.

I made a noise of irritation. "You never say you're sorry even when you should" I wasn't looking at her but I felt a pang of guilt come from her but she didn't get angry to deflect the blame like she sometimes did. I suppose we had grown past that.

She took a deep breath. "My dearest husband quintessence of beauty and sexual prowess" She knew me all too well. "I am sorry my presence has put your panties in a bunch though I know you haven't worn any since the dark ages" My back was still turned but it didn't keep her from seeing my shoulders shake in silent laughter.

She came closer and wound her arms around my neck. I intertwined my fingers with hers. We were quite for several minutes. The beating of her heart against my back was a reassurance like no other.

"I am sorry you are here but I am happy you are with me" I said sincerely.

"Always" she said. "I'm always with you" I turned my face up to hers and kissed her deeply.

***000***

The next chapter will be the final one!

I hope you all enjoyed the update and I hope you are not too angry to not give me my fix of reviews!


	33. The Last Stand

I wanted to take a minute to thank all of you who stuck with me on this wild ride. This chapter has no dedication because an equal part goes out to each and every one of you; for words of encouragement; support and great ideas. I am sad it's over but I'm glad to have shared it all of you.

**Eric**

**Chapter Thirty-Six**

**The Last Stand**

It was first dark and the undead rose with single minded purpose. There has never been a stand like this and if this moon was the last I saw; if I was to meet my end I knew it would be glorious. Not a single word had to be spoken between us just meaningful glances through impassive faces as we bid one another hail and fair well. Before the sunrise a river of blood and ash would rise to take many of us from this world.

There was chill in the night that was uncharacteristic for this time of year. With my wife beside me we stood ready and waited. I could trace the scent even before I felt the first sign of our enemy. The scent was the same that preceded all the assaults that led to this. The mist rolled in with the unbridled power that could only be compared to the eye of a hurricane; silent; calm but with death not far behind. It crept forward; with tentacles that sought out its targets. It was a visible aura; cloudy in appearance with a numbing aroma.

"Do not break team" Stan said. His voice was low; placating to combat the tension that had taken hold of some of our forces. Some vampires amongst us had seen what that fog could do.

To my right I felt Sookie's mind begin to shift. It was a signal that she was channeling the power of the fairy within her. It was stronger and more powerful than it ever was. She joined hands with Leland and they took several steps forward that placed them ahead of the front line. Their steps were shadowed by their team; the movement was seamless.

The mist reached us but no one was affected. I could almost feel the pressure of the cavernous mass floating around me seeking a breech but found none. There was nothing to prevent us from seeing as the elves marched in behind the unnatural smog. Their numbers were staggering. With the forces Cohan took out they still had us in bodies. The ratio was three to one including Sophie-Anne's vampires. I searched along their formation for her. It did not look as though she had many days of this life left. She had become emancipated; she now resembled a small gangly creature. If not for all the havoc she had caused she would have my vote for a full pardon.

Seeing that their main offensive weapon was useless the elves halted their approach to re-access the situation. Dillon took this time to make one last plea for peace. From what Sookie told me he truly was a pacifist and an optimist. Separately they were venerable qualities together they were foolish. Still no one stopped him because we knew it was futile.

"Nikko" He called out in a strained tone. His distaste was still palpable.

"Cousin" Nikko said in a trawling manner. The fairies hissed in unison and several drew weapons. "Well hello to you too, geez so sensitive" He said with a small chuckle. Clearly he was enjoying himself.

"There be no need for further death. You have the power to end this" Dillon said.

"Death" Nikko shook his head with a tsk to indicate he had heard something utterly asinine. "No, your sons; your daughters; they will receive death on swift wings but not you. You my dearest cousin will suffer a fate much worse. I will break you, all of you" He smiled a bright smile at him then turned his gaze to all the vampires that were present as if taking notice of us for the first time.

"Night children, she is the architect of the destruction that your kind has suffered." Nikko said gesturing to Sophie-Anne "I was but the instrument but I found her vision a bit…" He acted as though he was searching for words. "Stale, so I make you this offer my undead friends. I will give her to you for she and hers are now under my control. All you have to do is walk away and let us fair folk settle our affairs"

I did not have to look to see that some of the fairies had tensed. By all rights Sophie-Anne was the only reason we had joined this fight. She was the cause but the reasoning behind our presence her now went deeper. All the kings and queens looked at Stan. All commands were to come from him during battle. While each head of state could make their own decision to walk away it was fitting for Stan to answer first. For all intents and purposes he was a general.

Stan contemplated a moment longer then he gave Nikko a finger to indicate where he can take his offer. In case Nikko didn't understand Stan doubled his response.

"Of course I speak only for Texas" Stan said calmly without dropping his obscene gesture. Pam grinned and followed suit. She was followed by Isaiah who was followed by Bertrand and Russell. Freyda deliberated but she too gave Nikko the finger. Last was Sookie and I. The verdict had been unanimous; the elf had been told to fuck himself; royally.

For the first time tonight a look flashed across Nikko's face and he looked vexed instead of amused.

"Last chance Nikko. Go. Home" Dillon said.

"Soon, very soon I will be" Nikko spat. "Know this there is no where you can hide your children that I will not come for them" His eyes were ablaze with loathing and he was looking directly at Sookie as he spoke and we all knew he meant to include our children in that fate "With their blood I will wash the fairies from existence and history" Sookie lunged forward with murderous intent. I followed after her to her from charging.

Dillon let out a soft laugh that was almost a sigh "Imbecile. That will never come to be and it was you who made it impossible. This alliance was forged of your malice" he said. "With your mayhem you fortified it. If ever we forsake our oath to defend one another it is not this day" At his words the air on our side began to stir and change. The fairies began drawing in breaths in unison; they appeared to be a single organism. . In these numbers it affected all those around them. "If ever our collected strength should fail, it is not this day" There was a charge in the air that surged through us all. With every word Dillon spoke jolted and encompassed the air. I felt warmth flowing over my skin and I knew I wasn't the only one affected. All the vampires were beginning to hum with the excitement of the battle to come.

Dillon continued with vehement eyes that belied the soft tenor of his words. "A day may come when the ties that bind us bow and break but it will not be this day" His human features and those of the fairies began falling away to reveal an array of sharp teeth and pointy ears. Their hair billowed in the wind and their bodies glowed casting long shadows across the earth. It was truly a sight to behold "If you want blood Nikko come and claim it" Dillon hissed slipping into a crouch.

In response Nikko hurled the first of his fire balls. Nikko had expected us to scatter but he had not been prepared for Iain. The water reserves he placed behind us shot above our heads and collided with the balls of fire midair as they rained down. The collision exploded in an immense cloud of steam. . Iain and his team walked around and came to stand in front of us; directly in the path of the impending flames. Our long line drew to the left' it allowed us to protect him but to kept us from interfering. All that Atéyo thought Iain about manipulating water was now put to the test as the battle between the two began. .

All the while the elves were advancing. Iain was obviously a key target; they were focused on the fairies because of their magical abilities posed a bigger threat. They were not expecting Gideon. The first group to reach us was blinded once they got within his range. Those surrounding him picked them apart.

Our aim was to funnel them to us so their numbers would count for very little. We kept all their key targets front and center. They would either have to charge the front line to take them out and maximize their losses or sit back and watch us decimated their numbers.

"This is dreadfully boring" Pam said picking at her finger nails. Her team and mine had not yet been pulled in. We operated on a rotating basis; seven teams would fight; six would rest.

"You need a hobby" Tristan said with a smile.

Apparently some elves could fly. They took to the air with lemon and shredded bits of iron. "Sookie" Leland called.

"I see them" She said. I could feel her strain to push her invisible barrier over to the fairies that were well out of her range. She did what she could but some fairies were outside both her and Leland's protection. They screamed in agony as lemon seared their skin.

"Get in the air" Stan called to those of us who could fly.

Bertrand, Pam, Freyda, Callie and I took to the air to dispatch the elves in the sky. Dermot was not one to let absence of flying ability keep him on the ground. He teleported himself directly onto the back of one and removed its head. Before he could begin falling Pam caught him and tossed him on the back of his next target. He was by Callie when he finished his third opponent. She clasped her hands in front of her and he used them as steps to his next target.

Blood was administered to those who had been wounded. They were moved behind our battle lines to buy them time to heal. As I propelled through the sky I could see bullets from the sniper rifle belonging to Oliver do its work. It wasn't serving the purpose for which it was thought up but it was effective. Since he could not get a clear mark on Nikko he was assailing his people; he was putting his bullets clean through their skulls. It further thinned their numbers.

Freyda and I were still doing battle in the air. We moved the fastest because we were older. It made us most formidable. I served as a decoy. As the elves chased me down she showed up behind them and removed their head with her bare hands. The fight in flight was quick after which we returned back to our teams no worse for wear. I had a deep bite on my arm that stung but that was the extent.

"Sookie does your husband fuck as well as he fights" Freyda called to my wife when she landed. Her tone was matter of fact but there was a grin on her face.

"You better believe it" Sookie replied. Even as our people were bathe in the blood of our enemy we laughed.

The battle raged but our numbers were holding. The demons could not be covered under the shields of the fairies but that was not a hindrance. They carried no weapons and simply touched the elves that got close enough to kill them. So far our defense hadn't even been bent. It looked like it would hold. Our backs were covered and the sound of gunfire could still be heard at perfectly timed intervals.

Nikko came to this fight arrogant and self-assured. We came prepared. The elves fearing they had underestimated their advisories ushered the vampires in. Once again I caught sight of Sophie-Anne. Her body moved with its agility and speed that was expected of a vampire her age. It was devastating. She was even stronger than the last time our paths crossed but she looked lost; mindless. Whether it was her own doing or that or Nikko she had taken to turning larger humans. They would be more difficult to contain no matter how young they were.

It was hand to hand combat. Leland and Sookie were pulled back just as the two natured came from hiding. They soared from the nearby burrows in flawlessly choreographed crisscrossed formation and joined the fight teeth and claws first. Leading them was three saber tooth tigers. What their numbers could not cover the vampires closest to them took care of. I watched as Russell and his people surrounded Sophie-Anne.

"Something is coming" Lyra said from her place behind me. There was an edge to her voice that told me this would be bad.

"What is it?" I asked looking around. My senses caught nothing coming from any direction. For a long moment she just moved in a circle with her teeth barred. Then she jerked as if he had been hit with volts of electricity.

"Do you feel that?" Sookie asked me. She was still but her body was humming with an odd mixture of dread and aggression. All the fairies were giving off the same vibe their heads were moving in search of a danger that had not yet reached the rest of us. Then their heads were facing due south.

It was a minute difference before the scent hit the air. I turned my head in the same direction as the fairies. The poignant odor of sulfur and rancid meat rolled. The stench increased with every second until it became suffocating. I could not understand it. I had no need to breathe but the closer the scent got the more feeling of strangulation grew. Reflexively my hand rose to my neck.

"What the hell is that?" Sookie asked in a tight voice. Her question wasn't directed at anyone in particular but it was Dermot who answered.

"Indeed" he said sheathing his blade. "Hell hounds to be exact" Dermot hissed. His face was covered in the blood but I could see he looked...concerned "You must break teams now" He said in an urgent tone. "It must be the fairies to fight them" He was pulling away from Pam's side. She took his hand ready to go with him. "You cannot help there" He said stroking her face. "Stay with Sookie no matter what" Pam shook her head. "Promise me" He said shaking her. She nodded. He spun on his heel shouting for the fairies to take battle stations.

"What are they doing?" Stan shouted over the chaos. I explained.

It was testament to the trust we all now shared because Stan did not question it.

"Break team" Stan said. Instantly the teams dissolved. Behind me the fairies and demons tried to contain what was coming. I knew in that fight we could not help them. The only thing we could do was cover their backs.

Together we pulled our people back and regrouped. Now the species were segregated but backing one another in a loose triangle. Vampires and werewolves faced Nikko and Sophie-Anne's child army. We drew them to us. Sookie and Gideon were an even distance away from one another. She would not have to expending energy shielding those on his side because the forces that got close to him would be blinded and would be easy enough to kill.

The closer the hell hounds got the more depilating the effects on the undead and two natured. All the vampires were suffering the effects. My head was swimming with noises and screams that did not originate from the battle. Fear rippled up my spine. I beat it back knowing it was the proximity of the hell the elves had unleashed on earth. It was obvious the elves knew we were now at a severe disadvantage. They were now openly charging our front line; intending to push us closer to them. It was where we suffered our heaviest losses. Gideon could not maintain a firm grasp on his ability as he the inexplicable panic grew in us all. Some of the younger ones were no longer able to fight. We were losing ground.

"Push them back" I ordered. I was ahead of the lines. With every sweep of my sword I cut down an elf or a vampire in my path.

Freyda gave me a wicked grin and a wink before hurling her two bodyguards Felix and Callie over the enemy lines. Then she took off in the air after them. They landed behind the backs of the elves. She was attempting to draw some of their numbers in the opposite direction. It was not ten times more dangerous. It was suicide.

"This is where we hold them" Freyda said in a grave voice. "This is where they fall" Letting out a ferocious snarl as she delivered death upon her advisories. She blurred into nothing but a lethal gale of blonde hair. Having no other choice the elves had to double back and neutralize Freyda and her people which in turn gave us ground to advance. I thought Freyda would be killed within a minute of her landing. But she held on until some of the two natured were able to double back to her aid. The circle was loose but it was forming around the elves and the vampires that aided them.

A quick scan behind me revealed the fairies and demons were not as fortunate. It was no surprise because what I saw was not something I could have ever imagined.

_"It is said that he sent them to the very axis of fire and earth"_ Dillon had explained months ago.

_"The cusp of the underworld" _Dermot translated.

That very notion had to be true and they had not spent their time idly. Hell hounds were six legged beasts that stood at twice the size of the saber tooth tigers on our side. They were not covered in fur but rotting flesh, amidst scales some parts of which were alit with smoldering flames. The saliva from their jaws fell to the earth and poisoned it. Their names were fitting and Nikko had somehow managed to summon two of these ravenous monsters.

Sookie must have realized the fairies were failing. I was to her side fighting but I saw her lips form the words "Toss me" to Stan.

"No!" I shouted.

Stan did not hesitate as she knew he would not. He took her by her wrists and spun in two full circles then launched her in the direction of the worst danger. I moved to intercept her path but Sookie was already hurling at a velocity much too quick for me to follow. Her destination was the fight between the fairies and the hell hounds.

I went after her but the effects of the hell hounds were still present and I could go no further. Helplessly I watched as Sookie continued her free fall. Her sword was gripped firmly in both hands and she steadied herself as she began to decline. When she landed she did so on the back of the hell hounds. It had a fairy pinned under its two front legs. The beast brought its head down to finish the kill but she decapitated it in a single precise and powerful fall of her arms. Before the creature imploded on its self it swiped a clawed paw at her that sent her sailing through the air.

I watched with a feeling of dread as blood poured from her side. She did not fall to the ground without agility like I feared she would. She landed on her feet but had to dig her sword into the earth as her body finally skidded to a halt.

"Viking get down!" I knew the voice. Before the words registered I had dropped to the ground and rolled to the side. The heavy whizz in the air above me told me I just narrowly avoided having my head removed. The warning had come Freyda. I tried to be happy that she had saved my life and not the fact that if she survived she would never let me forget it.

"Nikko" I said gliding nimbly to my feet. "Why so serious?" I gave him a bright smile that was taunting as it was chilling. He returned it. His form began to blur and then there were two of him and those two divided into two more until there were eight of him. Pam and Tristan came to my aid.

"I seriously hate elves" Pam said standing back to back with Tristan and me.

The copies of Nikko were identical from the smile to every tear and blood splatter on their clothes. That was the bad news. The good news was this took a bit of power because he was no longer able to use fire because Iain was tiring. We could end this.

What the replicas lacked in magical ability they made up for in depredating physical strength (more bad news). I killed two but it was a feat. There were four left when Tristan met the truth death. Pam had been drawing the brunt of the assault while he picked them off. He was not fast enough to deflect a blow that sent his maker to the ground. There was only enough time to drop his body over hers. The stake meant for her went through his heart instead.

"Tristan!" Pam screamed. She couldn't move. Her body was still being held down and her death was impending. I could not go to her I was facing two of the clones. Dermot appeared behind the one that was still looming over her. He snapped its neck. Then he pushed his sword into the head of the one holding Pam down.

In the same instant one of the copies I had been facing tried to vanish but Dermot tackled it completely ignoring the last remaining. I think he could tell which of the two was the original. I would have taken care of the last one but Pam had shot up from the ground where she had been crying and leapt on its back. Her eyes were blurred with tears. Her fists fell in a volley of blind fury and grief. I knew she could easily kill it but she wanted to avenge her loss. Even after there was nothing but a puddle of blood and bones where a head had been she kept throwing punches.

I tried to pull her from the corpse but she fought my hold. "It's over" I said pinning her arms down and holding her to me as she cried. I looked around. "It's over" I repeated. The war was hard fought and we had all paid a price.

*****Epilogue*****

I have not been to France for a few decades but like all most places only the superficial changed with time. The heart and soul of the country was the same. Sookie and I were on an Island off the coast of Marseille called "Rin's Isle" It was a present from Cohan to Aríndia on her first birthday. Alrick had been invited by Aríndia and so our family came. The island was small. It was surrounded by clear blue waters and white sandy beaches. Having been bought for a princess it was compete with castle made of white stone the domes and steeples of the castle were forged of real gold.

"What does the 'K' stand for?" I asked Atéyo. The initial 'AKC' was inscribed on the gold and red banners that hung from the castle walls.

"Kiva after my mother" He replied.

Beside me Alrick was seated with Aríndia on a towel picking at her food. He would take what she offered and brought to his nose. He winced and she laughed as he scrunched his face in distaste. Alrick was more open to human food but with his acute senses he preferred what humans would call mild or bland. His sister preferred blood almost exclusively.

The sound of laughter caused me to look towards the water. Aria was laughing uncontrollably. I could hear her heartbeat increase. Her face was almost flushed as she squealed in delight. Her mother would dip her in the water then swing her lightly in the air and catch her. Even with the memories of a bloody war it was impossible to remember ever being this happy.

Of all our allies and friend that went to war six months ago almost half did not return. The losses that weighed the heaviest in my heart were: Tristan; Indira; Bill Compton. There were many others. Bertrand of Indiana; Judith; Alcide Herveaux; Dillon Brigant; Isabelle and John of Texas; Betty Joe and Russell of Texas all died in battle.

In retrospect Sophie-Anne's vision of a world without monarch came into fruition. The governing systems of the vampire world had been titivated. While the territories of Amun; Zeus; Narayana; Moshup remained there were no more individual states within them. The eldest vampires in those territories were given equal responsibilities and power with in it that they shared with a member representative of the two natured.

Another drastic change came in the form of VABSO or Vampire And Bi Species Organization formerly known as AVL. The new acronym wasn't catchy but it was progress, progress that made all our future brighter by placing us on equal footing. There would be a place for fairies or demons if ever they chose to make their presence known to the world. No one of us would ever stand alone against any threat. The sacrifices of our fallen comrades would not be in vain.

**THE END**

000

000

*****Notes from the Author*****

Wait there's more!

…During my bout with writers block while I was writing this FF I hadn't been sitting on my thumbs. I have been developing another story. It is all human and as a special gift for my avid reviewers and you lovely readers know who you are. You are getting the first bite!

So once again a great big thank you and if you enjoy my writing I would love to have you add me to you Favorite authors to see what I do next. Even with school on the horizon I will write!

ElfChef signing off...Until next time ladies and gentlemen!

**Muuuuuuuuaaaaaahhhhh!**


End file.
